Harry Potter 6
by TeenTypist
Summary: In Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts, Luna is a major character but I'm not sure if she's going to be a romance character for him or not (OotP Spoilers) Chapter 74! A plan in action. Long chapter.
1. Summertime Blues

Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story related to Harry Potter or J.K. Rowling. Other than the plot and a few (very few) Original Characters, it's all hers. Lucky duck, she thought of it first. No OC in this chapter. I own nothing here other than my plot and witty jokes. *ducks as readers throw rotten fruit*

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CHAPTER 1: Summertime Blues

            Harry ate his dinner, not looking at his aunt and uncle. This ritual was getting old. He avoided looking at his cousin too; the pig was shoveling food into his mouth as much as ever.

            "Have you written your . . . friends yet? How long since the last letter?"

            "Not yet, Uncle Vernon. Three days," he said in a bored voice, staring idly out the window and then back down to his plate. 

            "Er, why not?"  Vernon Dursley's voice was a strained calm.

            "I haven't had time." That wasn't true, he just hadn't gotten around to it yet.

            "No time? What do you bloody do all day?" his voice rising and face starting to turn just the color of a beet and vein at his temple throbbed. "I mean, be sure to write after dinner, Harry. Wouldn't want them to think anything's wrong."

            Harry didn't say anything. Let the big oaf sweat it a while. 

            "There _isn't_ anything wrong, is there?"

            "No, Uncle Vernon. I've just been busy."

            "With what?" asked his aunt, attempting politeness.

            Harry wanted to scream. His aunt, uncle, and cousin had been walking on eggshells all summer. They responded well to threats. "I have homework. And I took that job, remember?" After a week of this strained politeness the Dursleys had been inflicting on him, Harry knew that he couldn't just hang around the house all summer; it would drive him absolutely mad. But he couldn't face wandering around Little Whinging again all summer either; he thought the sheer boredom of that would kill him. So he went and took a part-time job. This hadn't sat well with the Dursleys at first, but they responded so well to threats, and Harry's friends _had_ threatened them . . .

            "A lot of work?" she asked.

            "Yes. Homework multiplies. One of my friend's says he swears that while everyone's asleep the textbooks breed."

            "Don't talk about such strangeness!" his uncle said in a whisper-shout. Petunia looked around wildly as though expecting the walls to sprout ears.

            "It was a joke," he said dully. "A joke. Ron Weasley is a funny person. He likes to make jokes. You remember Ron's dad, don't you?"

            There was silence.

            "Don't you?" he repeated.

            "Yes. He's charming," his Aunt Petunia replied, stiffly.

            "In his last letter he said that you were welcome to go over for dinner if you wanted to."

            Aunt Petunia pursed her lips, "Isn't that nice?"

            "Yeah. But I told him that you'd much rather prefer him and his other friends to come here."

            "What?" Dudley asked, clearly terrified. Harry's cousin finally wrenched his eyes away from his plate. His mouth hanging slightly open, Harry could see bits of food between his teeth and still his mouth; he wanted to puke.

            "I told him that you'd love to have them all over for dinner Saturday, but he said Saturday wouldn't work for him and that they'd have to come some other time."

            "You're not to go inviting people like _them_, you understand? I don't care what they say they are not coming over for dinner!" his uncle was whisper-shouting again.

            Harry got up, took his plate to the sink, and went upstairs.

            Even tormenting the Dursleys had become less fun than usual, but maybe because they'd become so much easier to torture. He hadn't mentioned dinner or even food in the last letter he'd sent Ron's dad.

            He entered his room and noticed something by his window. "Hey, Hedwig, where are you going? Come back here." He went to the window and the snowy owl jumped lightly on his hand. "Going out hunting? I've got a letter for you to deliver first. Tonks gets it today."

            He went to his desk to add the finishing touches to his letter and then reread it.

_Dora,_

           Hello, I'm doing well. That job is working out well still. There are some interesting birds this time of year. I've been wondering, do you have any particular information on cardinals or finches? If you do, have your brother or sister send it to me. I look forward to seeing you again, and our other friends. I haven't heard much from them. Do you think I will hear much from them soon?

James 

            He sealed the letter but didn't write a name on the outside. "Give this to Tonks for me, Hedwig." He tied the letter to her leg.

            She hooted softly and flew out the open window. Harry watched until she became invisible against the sunset. He threw himself on his bed, not wanting to do his homework. His scores from the tests he'd taken at the end of the previous year of school had come back, along with a list of homework for all the advanced classes he'd be taking. Not that they'd sent out the booklist yet, they obviously must still be missing a teacher. And Harry had a hunch of what class they were missing a teacher for. He sighed and picked up his Potions textbook. It was time he got to work on his essay: the 12 uses of dragon's blood—explain and discuss, and give 3 examples in which dragon's blood is used for a different purpose in each potion.

            Harry opened the trunk at the end of his bed and took out a parchment, a bottle of ink, and a quill. The end of the quill was a bit worn away at where he'd chewed it, trying to think of what to write on previous occasions. He'd have to get a new one the next time he was in Diagon Alley.

*          *          *

            Harry was standing in a room much like an amphitheatre. He watched a man and woman dueling on a dais. Over the dais was a crumbling archway and a veil. The woman had heavily-lidded eyes. The man was handsome and gave a doglike bark of a laugh as he asked, "Is that all you've got?"

            They continued fighting until suddenly the man fell backwards through the veil attached to the archway. He was gone.

            "NO! Sirius! SIRIUS!" Harry tried to run after him but was held back by powerful hands, despite all he struggled.

            "No, Harry, no. He's gone…"

            Harry woke in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. He was breathing fast. He closed his eyes and picture two large pale blue eyes. As he concentrated on these eyes his breathing slowed and he grew oddly calmer. The first time this summer he'd woken, panicked, as he had tonight and those pale eyes rose out of his memory and seemed to make everything okay. He didn't know why but they did.

            Harry hated nightmares, and he had them regularly. Sometimes he'd watch his friend Cedric die, sometimes his parents, sometimes he'd see his godfather Sirius Black vanish behind that fluttering veil, all of them never to return again. He thought of those eyes again and dropped back into a dreamless slumber.

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If this isn't too horrible, would you continue reading it?****


	2. Dinner Party

Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story related to Harry Potter or J.K. Rowling. Other than the plot and a few (very few) Original Characters, it's all hers. Lucky duck, she thought of it first. The only OC in this chapter is Gina. Sadly, I only own the plot and my computer, whose name is George.

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CHAPTER 2: Dinner Party

            Ten o'clock, the morning after sending Tonks his letter, Harry found himself kneading pizza dough. This was the only pizza place in Little Whinging that still used hand kneaded dough and this is where is was working, it was a great stress reliever but sometimes it made him laugh. Harry James Potter, known by wizards and witches throughout the country and farther as the-boy-who-lived and was a wizard about to enter his 6th year of Hogwarts School of Wizardry was standing here in an England suburb making pizza. His summer was going as well as could be expected for someone who'd just lost the closest thing to a parent that he'd ever had only months before.

            He remembered the dream about Sirius the last night and he wanted to shudder. But it was a sunny morning and customers were starting to come in. He had to work.

            It was nearing the end of Harry's shift when he heard a voice growl, "Are you going to stand there all day, boy, or are you going to take my order?"

            "I'm sorry. Here," he took out a notepad, "What kind of pizza did you…? What are you doing here?" He gawked at the three customers standing before him.

            "How's it going, Harry?"

            "Happy Birthday."

            "If you two are done," growled Moody again, slanting his bowler down further over his magical eye. "I'd like to get this show on the road."

            "What are you doing here?" asked Harry, hardly believing that the three of them were standing there before him.

            "We can't come see our buddy on his birthday?"

            "Do we need a reason to visit the guy who's a Weasley as far as everything but blood—"

            "And hair color, are concerned."

            "I told you two to knock it off," growled Moody, "You were told you could come _if_ you promised to behave and you're not behaving." He turned back to Harry, "Can you leave yet, boy?"

            "Er, sure. I'm almost done for today anyway. Just a second." He looked around for the waitress. "Gina, I've got to go early. If the manager comes looking for me…?"

            "I'll tell him. It's only ten minutes anyway, why not stay?" she asked.

            "It's important. I've got to leave now."

            "Is there some sort of crisis going on with your family or something?" she asked, concerned.

            "Kinda. But I can't explain right now. Thanks, Gina." He hadn't told her anything about his life, he just made up whatever sounded natural. She didn't know the rumors about him being "that Potter boy".

            "Alright. Get out of here before he comes back."

            "Thanks, again." Harry put his apron down on the counter and rushed back to his friends.

            "Let's go." Alastor Moody led the way outside. "How do I know you're really Potter?"

            Fred piped up, "I've got an idea. Ask him who ickle Ronniekins fancies."

            "Stupid," he said, pretending to shove his brother, "everyone in Gryffindor knows it's Hermione," said George.

            "Potter, who taught you how to make a Patronus?" asked Mood, loudly over the twins' squabbling.

            "Professor Lupin did."

            "Good. Now. Do you know where we can talk privately?" he asked.

            "Er, I know a park not too far away. It's usually deserted, 'cause if little kids go there my cousin beats 'em up."

            "That's fine. Lead the way."

            Fred and George walked closely by Harry and the three of them talked quietly.

            Fred clapped Harry on the back, "Isn't Mad-Eye such a killjoy?"

            His twin, George, added, "Yeah. We come to see you on your birthday and he's still all serious."

            Harry had completely forgotten that he turned sixteen today. "I forgot that it was."

            Fred rolled his eyes. "Forgot, honestly . . . Since we joined the Order, I mean the bird watcher's club," he amended hurriedly as he glanced back over his shoulder at Mad-Eye Moody, "You'd think we'd get a little more respect but it's the same as ever."

            "Yeah, coming to kidnap you, old boy, is our first assignment."

            "Great kidnapping," Harry teased them. "Alright, Harry, come leave work and fly away with us."

            George shrugged. "We wanted to sneak into your room in the middle of the night and stick a pillowcase over your head and carry you off, only—"

            "—Some people didn't reckon it was such a good idea."

            Harry grinned and sought a new topic, "So how's the joke business holding up?"

            "It's doing real well. Business is booming. Especially since all the Hogwarts kids are on their summer holidays. They are well prepared to skive off lessons and wreak havoc and mayhem on whatever poor soul they get to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts."

            "I hope they use those fireworks in Snape's classroom," said Harry eagerly. "We're here." The park was deserted, it was nearing dark and none of the younger children stayed around here this late or they were bound to run into 'Big D' and his gang.

            "Follow me," said Moody, shortly. He made a beeline for the jungle gym. "Get in here." Once the four of them were crowded in, he put an impertuble charm around them. "I'm sure you're wondering, Harry, what we're doing here."

            "Actually Fred and George said you're here to kidnap me. Great. Take me anywhere other than number 4 Privet Drive and I'll be thrilled." Number 4 was where the Dursleys lived.

            Moody shot the twins a dark look and they tried to shrug it off.

            Harry grew alarmed. "You didn't come because I forgot to send a letter, did you? I sent it to Tonks last night . . ."

            "We got the letter. We're going to take you Headquarters. Dumbledore wants to see you."

            "About what?"

            "Can't speak of it here."

            "Harry, here." George took a letter from his pocket and handed it to him. "Ron would murder us if we forgot to give you his letter."

            "Poor chap wanted to come but as he can't Apperate, and we didn't want to chance the Floo network, he couldn't. Not that there'd be any point in Apperating away from here anyway. You're too young to Apperate too."

            "How'd you get here?"

            "Apperated," he said smugly. Apperating was disappearing one place and appearing another at will. Because of complications a wizard had to be of age, pass a test , and get a license to Apperate.

            "How are we leaving? I _am_ coming with you."

            "Tell you later. Mad-Eye will tell you, I expect."

            "Alright, we're going to go back to number 4 now. I've studied a Muggle map and know the shortest distance to get there. Fred, I want you on Potter's right front. George, on the left front. Me, I'll cover the back. Defend him at all costs. Potter, do you have your wand on you?"  
            "Yeah."

            "Under _no_ circumstances use it unless the three of us are _dead_ and you must. There's a back up squad nearby. If something should happen to all three of us, light this flare." He handed Harry a Filbuster No-Heat-Wet-Start Firework. "If such happens proceed directly to your aunt and uncle's house and await further orders. We will depart from there later tonight. Understood?"

            "Yes, sir."

            "All this is on Dumbledore's orders, boy. Proceed now with caution." He lifted the spell and they left the park.

            Harry noticed an air of seriousness around the twins, despite their usual cheer and jokes.

            "Harry, if you had to choose, would you pick us or one of those big Muggle bodyguards? You know, the ones in the films, big muscle men in dark suits and glasses."

            He pretended to consider. "I suppose you, but only if I couldn't get Ginny. The way she hexed Malfoy last year was spectacular, you might have seen it if you bums hadn't left school." The Weasley twins were now living legends at Hogwarts. He grinned. "Since when did you see a Muggle film?"

            "We had time to kill before your shift ended today and we went to the cinema."

            "Wanted to come and get you but Mad-Eye said we'd be attracting too much attention if you missed work."

            "What are you doing with a Muggle job anyway? You've got a vault of gold at Gringotts," remarked Fred. Gringotts was the wizard bank and Harry had inherited a small fortune from his parents.

            "Yeah, well the shops around here don't take Galleons or Sickles. Only pounds sterling. Besides that, I was bored."

            "We're nearly there. Keep a sharp eye out," warned Moody.

            "Won't you do that for us though?"

            "Your eye _is_ better than any of ours."

            Moody had a magical eye that could see through things, including the back of his head, which is why he wore the bowler pulled down over it if in a Muggle area. The trench coat he wore helped to cover his wooden leg.

            Fred and George had on what Harry was sure were dragon skin jackets but what a Muggle would mistake for dyed leather in all likelihood. After all, why would anybody who didn't know magic existed think that two boys would be wearing dragon-hide jackets?

            They approached number four and Fred opened the door without knocking.

            Uncle Vernon's voice roared, "Where the devil have you been, boy? Dudley got home twenty minutes ago. You're late." Harry heard his uncle's footsteps coming toward them. He waited, impatient to see the look on his uncle's face. Uncle Vernon's normally ruddy face went to ash in under two seconds. His eyes widened and he backed away.

            "Surprise," growled Moody. "We'll be staying for dinner."

            Harry had to laugh. Today was Saturday.

            Vernon Dursley lunged at the door and shut it. Locking both locks and closing the window shades.

            Petunia shrieked, "What is it? Is he finally back?" She came to stand at the doorway to the living room. "Not you again!"

            "Yes, us. And we're staying for dinner."

            Fred looked around brightly, "Where's that tub of butter who likes our Ton-Tongue Toffees?"

            "Oy! Dudders, where are you?" called George.

            Dudley waddled out of the kitchen, either curious to see what punishment Harry would receive for coming in late or wondering who called him Dudders. Nobody called him "Dudders" but his mother, and Harry if he was teasing him.

            Fred and George grinned evilly when they saw him. Dudley shrieked and tried to hide behind his mother.

            Mad-Eye looked around, "We've got things to discuss with you. And we're hungry. Lead the way to the kitchen, Dursley. That is if your son hasn't eaten everything in there yet."

            When they got in the kitchen Mad-Eye put an enlargement charm on the table and Fred and George conjured extra chairs.

            Aunt Petunia served the dinner, her hands trembling, and Harry watched everyone. Fred and George tucked in avidly and with grins on their faces. Dudley, wonder of all wonders, hardly ate half his meal. Vernon and Petunia seemed to lack appetite. Harry could tell that Moody was constantly scanning everything with his magical eye. As usual he drank only from the flask at his hip; though an excellent Auror and bodyguard, Mad-Eye was most certainly paranoid.

            "Now that that's done with we can get to business, you lot. We're here to take Harry back where he belongs. Back among _decent_ folk. You're to bring this letter to his boss tomorrow to explain his absence. Understand?" Moody brandished the letter under Uncle Vernon's nose.

            "Now see here, I—"

            "You'll do it or you'll be sorry. Weasleys, go help Potter pack his things. Dursleys, you listen good to me now…"

            Harry wandered up to his room with Fred and George in tow. "Hey, you better read Ron's letter. Fred and I'll pack your things for you."

           _Happy Birthday! I hope you get this soon. The bird watching club just made Fred and George members last week, sorry I didn't' write sooner. They still won't let us join though. Percival Wulfric has made plans for you to come. I'm not exactly sure when or why. They won't tell us. I'm still at home but I think I'm leaving soon._

Ron 

            Harry looked at the twins. "You delivered it yourself so why did he code it?"

            "He was just getting ready to send it with Pig when he found out we were coming to see you. Besides what if we'd been killed before we found you?" He pretended to have been shot and landed dead on Harry's bed.

            "Have they moved Headquarters yet?"

            George hesitated, "Can't tell you anything about that. Moody'll have our wands for it if we do."

            Fred sat up, looking tense. "Yeah, Harry, sorry. You'll find out."

            He glanced at the letter again. Percival Wulfric was the name everyone was using for Professor Dumbledore in case letters fell into the wrong hands. That reminded him of something. "Is Percy's name still taboo at the Burrow?"

            "Well, kind of. Dad still looks angry if he's mentioned. And Mum gets this worried and disappointed look. But at least she doesn't cry over him anymore. He's a waste of space."

            "He's still pro-Ministry and anti-Dumbledore."

            "And 100% genuine—" Fred started.

            "Certified—" interrupted his brother.

            "Prat." Together they had finished with a single word and an uncharacteristically ugly look on their normally handsome faces.

             "Oh," said Harry as he folded the letter.

            "Yeah," the twins agreed grimly.

            "So how are we getting wherever we're going?" Harry asked. He started to help put away his robes and spell books.

            "We're going Muggle, mate."

            "Yeah. Taking the underground most of the way."

            "Moody'll stick out like a sore thumb," Harry said quickly.

            "Yeah? So what else is new?"

            "Moody's too uptight."

            A voice called from downstairs, "Done yet? We need to get a move on!"

            "Alright!" called Fred.

            "Yeah, don't get your robes in a knot!" added George.

            "That's everything." Harry slammed the trunk shut with a snap and grabbed Hedwig's cage.

            "Heave ho, mate." Fred and George each lifted an end of the trunk and Harry shot them an inquiring look. Fred explained, "Can't do unnecessary magic around the Muggles."

            "Tell your nephew goodbye." Moody was covering Uncle Vernon with his wand.

            "Goodbye. See you next summer," said his uncle, through gritted teeth.

            Under his breath Harry muttered, "Not if I can help it."

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If this isn't too horrible, would you continue reading it? A review would be nice too.****


	3. Serious Pranksters

Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story related to Harry Potter or J.K. Rowling. Other than the plot and a few (very few) Original Characters, it's all hers—no OC this chapter. I wish I owned Harry, but I don't. Then again, don't we ALL wish we owned Harry?

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CHAPTER 3: Serious Pranksters 

            All the people on the underground gave them a wide berth, obviously afraid of the odd looking, limping man with the bowler.

            Fred and George walked a little ahead and to either side of Harry on the way to the station, all business. Any sign of cheer was gone from them.

            They sat on the underground with Fred in front of him, George in back, and Moody right next to him. Harry stared, partly glum out the window, watching the concrete wall slide by. He should be happier; he wouldn't have to see the Dursleys until next summer. So what was the matter with him?

            Finally they got off, Harry didn't even pay attention to what stop it was. The twins carried his things for him, keeping one hand each inside their pockets to reach their wands.

            Harry was surprised to find that they stopped in front of a rather shabby looking hotel in downtown London.

            "What are we doing here?" he asked curiously.

            "Spending the night. Go in, this stuff's heavy."

            Harry expected Moody to check them in at the reception desk. He didn't. He just walked straight back to the elevator. They went to the second floor and Moody took out a key and led them into room 23.

            Harry wasn't sure what he'd been expecting but this certainly wasn't it. The room contained a bed, with a little nightstand next to it; a small window at the back of the room; two doors which Harry assumed led to a bathroom and a closet; a couple lamps; and a small table with chairs around it. The table had some silver instruments on, it which Harry recognized as Dark Detectors, but aside from that the room was quite ordinary if a little run-down.

            There was silence. Finally Harry said, "I don't understand."

            Moody slammed the door shut and pointed to a chair. "Sit. Dumbledore specially arranged this room. It has more wards and safety on it at the moment than perhaps any place in London, except for one."

            "So this isn't the new Headquarters for the Ord—I mean the bird watchers' club?"

            "Of course not! Let me finish. This room has been specially warded by Dumbledore and is under severe watch. At midnight the three of us will leave and in groups of two, members of the Order will come for guard duty. One will remain invisible and outside your door, the other will remain in here. This will continue until such a time that Dumbledore has an opportunity to speak with you and you can be moved to Headquarters. Is this all understood?"

            "Yes. Though I still don't understand why, _sir_."

            "Think, boy! THINK! There are people out there who want you _dead_ and worse. If you go down, then the rest of us don't have a hope. You know what I'm talking about. I don't know the details, Dumbledore has kept those to himself but _you_ know them! And you know what you'll have to do. Nobody else can do that. Just you. That's why." His glare dared Harry to challenge him. 

            Harry wasn't quite stupid enough to do that, actually, he _was_ that stupid. "So everyone's still going to treat me like a little kid? I can defend myself, you know. I'm not totally useless."

            "Dumbledore had a feeling you might feel this way. He authorized me to do whatever I felt necessary to keep you from doing magic." Moody's voice was grim. "_Accio_ wand!"

            Harry's wand flew out of his waistband and into Moody's gnarled and outstretched palm. He pocketed it. "You'll get it back when you see Dumbledore, if you behave. I'm going outside to keep watch. Be good. Weasleys, keep your eyes and ears sharp, y'hear? Harry, don't stay up too late." With that, Moody hobbled to the door, walked outside, and slammed it shut.

            "Why didn't you two say anything?" Harry demanded. The twins had stood by quietly, unpacking his things for him.

            "Look, Harry, we're under orders."

            "Yeah. You've got to understand. It's different now."

            "How?" he asked.

            "Kid, we're adults. And—"

            "Frankly, we decided when we got into this thing that we were going to own up to responsibilities and act like adults."

            "The truth is we decided that the moment we left Hogwarts."

            "Heck, it was before that even."

            "At Hogwarts we were kids. We goofed off, we ticked off the teachers, deliberately caused troubled just for the fun of it. That's not us anymore."

            "We're the same ol' Fred and George but now we're serious. You wouldn't understand." 

            "Wouldn't understand? Wouldn't understand! Because I'm still at Hogwarts? Because I'm still a _kid_? You're only two years older than me and you ran away from school. Grow up! I've faced more than you have out there in the world! Out where it counts!" He waved at the window. "Wouldn't understand! Don't tell me I wouldn't understand because there are things that _you_ don't understand! Nobody killed your family! Nobody's been hunting you down since you were born and trying to kill _you_! NOBODY! Nobody asked you to murder anybody! And you say I don't understand?" He took a deep breath and continued his tirade. "How would you like it if—" Suddenly he became aware that though he was moving his lips there was no sound coming out. He knew it had to have been one of them. He glared.

            "Don't make us do anything drastic, Harry. We _do_ understand."

            "Yeah. We may have been lucky but we've had some really close calls. What about Ginny, huh? He went after our little sister!"

            "And our dad was nearly killed last year!"

            "Look, Harry, we still want to be your friends. But Dumbledore isn't just our Headmaster anymore. He's our boss."

            "And he isn't any ordinary boss, Harry. This is like the Muggles' MI6 or the CIA. This is life and death we're talking about. Millions of wizards. It isn't some dumb game."

            "They made us understand this going in. It was all or nothing."

            "Do you understand where we're coming from on this?"

            "It's torn apart our family. Percy won't speak to any of us. We never liked him much to begin with but it's hard on Mum and Dad. Charlie and Bill and Mum and Dad are putting their lives and jobs on the line everyday being in this Order. And so are we. The lives part, I mean, we're our own bosses as far as work goes."

            "We care about Ron and Ginny and Hermione and you. We want you all to stay safe more than anything. More than being rich. More than anything."

            "Don't you understand it, Harry?"

            "We want to take care of you and the best way for us to do that is to listen to Dumbledore and do what he says is best. He's the smartest guy we know."

            "And we trust him completely," there was a finality in the tone of George's voice.

            "We're sorry we had to stand by and let Mad-Eye take your wand. We're sorry you have to stay here under guard. I'm sorry I put that mute charm on you, but it was the only way to get a word in edgewise. But we are _not_ sorry that we think we're doing the right thing by you. Do you get it?"

            "Yeah." The charm had been lifted. "I do get it. I guess I kinda lost my temper back there. I'm sorry."

            "Us too, Harry. But let's put all this behind us and move on to happier things."

            "We brought you some Extendable Ears." 

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If this isn't too horrible, would you continue reading it? A review would be nice too.****


	4. More than Chit Chat

This was like a peace offering. The wall broke down and things were like old times. They started a game of Exploding Snap and talked.  
"So what can you tell me?"  
"Trust me, everything we can tell you, we will tell you gladly."  
"Okay, what does Dumbledore want to talk to me about?"  
"I don't know. Honestly they won't tell us. They aren't used to treating us like equals."  
"So how's it in the Order? Joining and stuff."  
"Like I said, most of them still have their minds set that we're still kids."  
"Except Tonks," pointed out Fred.  
"Yeah, Tonks is something else."  
"You two like her? I mean like her like her?" Harry grinned.  
"Well, generally we don't date older women."  
"Besides, Fred and I made a pact a while ago: never let a girl come between us, if we both liked her then neither of us could date her. Besides that, Tonks is the kinda girl you're friends with. Good friends. Not the kind you date."  
"She's just.different," ended George, lamely.  
"So what about Ron? How's he doing?"  
"Well, you read his letter. If you write a reply we'll give it to him for you."  
"Just tell him for me that I hope I see him soon. And if I'm going to be here for a while to try and come over."  
"Can do."  
"Confidentially speaking of course, but has Ron said anything to you about Hermione?"  
"Huh? What about Hermione?" asked Harry; somewhat confused.  
"Please tell me you aren't serious, Harry? Has he said anything about asking her out on a date?"  
"Ron and Hermione? Are you joking? The two of them? Not in a hundred years." he stopped. Now that he thought about it he wondered how he could have missed it before. "No. He hasn't said anything. Has he said anything to you?"  
"Not to either of us. We've been taking bets down at the shop. 50% of Gryffindors we polled think that Hermione will crack by Valentine's Day and finally ask him out; 10% said that Ron would ask her out by the first Hogsmeade day; 20% said by Christmas, 5% say somebody is going to set them up on a date; and the last 15% said nothing was going to happen this year."  
"What about you, though, Harry?"  
"Yeah, got your eye on any of the girls?"  
"Not really."  
"You were dating that Ravenclaw Seeker, Cho right?"  
"Yeah. But she was so whiny and needy. She cried all the time. She's dating Roger Davies now. I heard she's happier," Harry said simply.  
"She was a prat. Her friend sold out the D.A. and she didn't even care."  
"Yeah." George perked up. "I thought of something we can tell you, probably shouldn't but will anyway."  
"Yeah!" said Fred. "Dumbledore is going to talk to you about the D.A."  
"Do you know what he'll say?" Dumbledore's Army was a club (of sorts) that Harry had founded the year before in order to spite the Ministry and Dolores Umbridge, who was making life at Hogwarts a nightmare.  
"No. But I know he's going to discuss it. I heard Kingsley talking to Lupin. Asking what he thought Dumbledore was going to say about it. Lupin said he didn't know, only that Dumbledore was going to discuss it with you."  
"Well that'll be interesting." Harry fell silent. "So what have you been developing for the joke shop? Anything new?"  
"There's Pest Pop."  
"What does that do?"  
"One sip and you turn into a giant beetle."  
"And there's our newest addition. The Interloper's Eyes."  
"Those are great for spying on people. Stick those and a set of the old Extendables in a room and you're all set to know exactly what's going on."  
"The Eyes look like a little lens that you stick on your eye. You put one in your eye and the other wherever you want to see. You close the eye that doesn't have the lens in it and you can see what the other lens is seeing."  
"So cool. Can I buy a pair?"  
"For our benefactor? You can have a pair." Harry had given them the money to start their joke shop. "Here." George pulled out a small book and gave it to Harry.  
"Well it's getting late. You better nod off before Moody comes in to check on you."  
"I don't know how long you're going to have to stay here but Moody asked us to unpack your things. So there they are. In the dresser and the nightstand."  
"Thanks. G'night, guys."  
"'Night, Harry," they chorused.  
Harry never heard when they left at midnight, or when the second set of guards showed up.  
* * *  
"Rise and shine!"  
"Uh.What?" asked Harry groggily.  
"Breakfast is here," said Tonks, brightly. She held out a tray of toast, eggs, sausage, and orange juice.  
"Oh, thanks, Tonks."  
"No problem, Harry, I just.oops!" She was leaning over to give him the tray and she dropped it. Tonks was a natural klutz. "Oh! I'm sorry, Harry. Really," she said, miserably. "Scourgify! Reparo!" The blanket was instantly clean and the plates had put themselves back together. "I'll get you something else to eat."  
"That's okay. Who else is here?"  
"Kingsley is outside the door. You saw the Weasleys last night right? Aren't they something? Such goofballs."  
"Yeah."  
"Not kill-joys like Mad-Eye. I heard he took your wand. Tough."  
"Yeah." He'd nearly forgotten.  
"Have you finished your homework yet? I'll help. I made it into all the N.E.W.T. classes I needed for my Auror training. I heard you were interested in becoming one."  
Yeah. You're the last one they accepted, right?"  
"That's right," she beamed proudly.  
"Okay. Can you help me with my Potions essay?"  
"I can't stand Snape but I did pretty well in that class!"  
Harry took out his parchment, quill, and ink and began to get started. 


	5. Rescue from Safety

CHAPTER 5  
Harry Potter had been staying in the hotel for 3 days, but it seemed like longer; he was going stir crazy. Things were happening in the world and here he was roped off from them all. There was only so much homework he could do, television he could watch, and games he could play before he went positively mad.  
Mrs. Weasly had been part of the shift that came after Tonks and Kingsley. She had fussed over Harry and assured him that he'd be out of there soon and that they'd have a proper birthday celebration for him. Mrs. Weasly's sentiments were with the twins: as far as she was considered Harry was practically one of her own sons, and she didn't fail to treat him as one.  
So far there had been sign of Dumbledore.  
At noon Harry was just starting lunch when the guard changed. Remus Lupin appeared and Moody disappeared.  
"Hello, Professor."  
"Hello, Harry. How are you today?"  
"Fine. I want out. Why hasn't Dumbledore been in contact with me?" He'd asked this of every single person who'd come in.  
"He hasn't had time. Things have been crazy." This was the same answer everyone else had given him. Lupin must of seen the depressed look on Harry's face, "Just between you and me, I know for a fact that you'll be seeing him soon."  
"Well it better be soon otherwise I'll be back at Hogwarts by the time I see him!"  
"Take it easy. Brought you a surprise." He raised his voice, "Severus! Let them in, Severus!"  
The door swung open and Harry saw his two best friends in the entire world standing there, side by side.  
"Harry!" squealed Hermione. She raced toward him and suffocated him with a tight hug. "How've you been? We missed you! Sorry we couldn't get here any sooner, they wouldn't let us come before."  
"Hermione, let go of him." Harry thought he heard a little more edge in Ron's voice than should have been there, but he couldn't be sure. At any rate Ron smiled at him when he added, "You're probably killing him."  
"I've missed you guys," Harry returned. Hermione let go of him.  
Ron plopped down on Harry's bed, "I can't believe you've been stuck here with Snape." Severus Snape had gone to Hogwarts with Professor Lupin, Sirius Black, and Harry's father. Harry's father had tormented Snape for no apparent reason other than the fact that he could and Sirius had been the same way. Snape was the potions master and Head of Slytherin House now, and he and Harry despised each other.  
"He hasn't come inside here once. This is his third time on guard duty and each time he's stayed outside the door."  
"Weird."  
They were silent. Ron said, "I'm sorry we couldn't get here sooner. They don't tell us anything hardly."  
"Where's the new Headquarters?"  
"We don't know. I was at the Burrow until the yesterday. I went to visit Hermione yesterday, that way we'd be nearer to here today. It was Mum's idea."  
"Or maybe Dumbledore's," pointed out Harry.  
Ron sighed. "It's like we said, they don't tell us anything." He scratched his chin, "We do know one thing though."  
"What's that?"  
Hermione kept her voice low, after a quick glance to see if Lupin was distracted; he was. "Dumbledore's meeting with you tonight. Why else would he send us today? Honestly, besides that there were little snippets of conversations we heard that hint that he's coming today." She raised her voice and said in the nagging tone she often used with them about schoolwork, "Have you finished it yet? Your work for the summer holidays?"  
"Yeah. Tonks helped me with some of the harder stuff. She made it into all those N.E.W.T. classes so that she could become an Auror after all."  
Hermione looked slightly miffed; often Harry and Ron didn't do their homework until it was almost too late, and the fact was she wasn't use to anybody but herself helping them with that homework.  
Harry and his friends spent an enjoyable afternoon. Finally Hermione said, "Is it five already?"  
"Yeah. So?" asked Harry.  
"We promised to be back by 5:30. We've got to go."  
"Don't!" he said, piteously. "Please?"  
"We've got to. But we already spoke with somebody and they said we can see you tomorrow. I promise."  
"Fine."  
"Don't pout like that, Harry."  
He ignored her. "'Bye, Ron."  
"Bye, Harry."  
Dumbledore never arrived that night.  
Just before Harry fell asleep he yawned and asked Lupin, "I thought you said he was coming?"  
"He is. Go to sleep."  
* * *  
Harry woke to find a man with half moon glasses sitting beside his bed, reading the Daily Prophet. "Ah! Good morning, Harry. I see you're awake. There's much to do today. Go get dressed while I pack your things."  
Harry went and got dressed in the bathroom and when he came out everything was apparently packed neatly in his now locked trunk with Hedwig (in her cage) on top. His wand was sitting beside the cage.  
"Don't rush, Harry. I thought we might have a little chat first." The Headmaster of Hogwarts smiled pleasantly.  
"Good morning, sir."  
"Good morning. Now I am aware that Alastor, I mean, Mr. Moody confiscated your wand, because he thought you might possibly behave in such a way that could get you expelled or even your wand broken in half. He left it in my power to deem when it should be returned to you. I decided on this morning. I take it you had a nice visit with Mister Weasly and Miss Granger yesterday?"  
"Yes."  
"Good. Now I'm sure you've been wondering why I've kept you here these past days after so abruptly removing you from the Dursleys."  
"Yeah. I was glad to leave those idiots behind but why not bring me straight to Headquarters?"  
"We felt the Dursleys' residence was no longer safe for you for the time being. You will of course be sent there next summer but at the moment there are safer places for you to be. There were some legal matters concerning the Headquarters and the rest that needed to be taken care of, the last of which you and I shall take care of this morning."  
Harry was curious in spite of himself. "What would make the Dursleys unsafe? You said it yourself that because of my mum's sacrifice and her blood in my veins and my aunt's that was the safest place for me."  
"An assassination attempt on the life of Petunia Dursley," he said simply.  
"Why would somebody want to kill her?"  
"Several reasons, the most important being that if she and her son were destroyed then the ancient magic protecting you would be destroyed and you left vulnerable indeed."  
"So what are you going to do about them?"  
"Alastor and some others have placed spells around and in her home. If anyone Apperates or performs a spell within a 10 mile radius of her residence we will know of it immediately. There are other spells now functioning at number 4 as well, but I'm not going to bore you with the details. We've much to accomplish this morning." Dumbledore stood and raised his voice, "Minerva! Take care of his things and bring them to Headquarters for me."  
Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts and the Transfiguration teacher, came in.  
Harry grabbed his wand.  
"Yes, yes, Harry. I said you could have it back. I'll see you later, Minerva."  
She nodded at Dumbledore and Harry, put her hand on the trunk, and Harry's things vanished along with her.  
"Come along now, Harry. Diagon Alley isn't too far away. A walk will do us good." It wasn't 'til after they left the hotel that Harry noticed that Dumbledore was in Muggle clothes. Soon they reached the Leaky Cauldron, squashed in between a bookstore and a record shop it was invisible to anyone who didn't know it was there.  
They entered and the few patrons within greeted the pair of them with smiles and hellos. Dumbledore turned down the drinks they were offered and continued with Harry to the little back yard of the inn that contained nothing more than a brick wall, meager weeds, and some trashcans. But by tapping the right bricks with his wand, Dumbledore brought them through the wall and into Diagon Alley. 


	6. Back Among Decent Folk

The first place Dumbledore led Harry was Gringotts, this was the wizard bank and it was run by goblins. Harry approached the desk of a free goblin but before he could utter his vault number Dumbledore spoke.  
"We are here for a transfer of accounts."  
"State the names and what's to be transferred."  
"The recently late Sirius Black has left all he owned to one Harry James Potter who stands beside me here, vault number 183. Here is his key."  
"Leathertoes! Take them to vaults 397 and 183. We need to transfer everything from 397 into 183 and mark it on the records."  
A goblin, taller than most of the goblins but still far shorter than a human, approached and grunted, "Follow me." He led them to a cart, which they entered. Harry soon got lost with all the spinning and turning as they plummeted miles and miles under London. At last the goblin cried, "Vault 397!"  
Harry and Dumbledore stepped out and the goblin, Leathertoes, unlocked the vault. Harry peered inside. For a moment he was stunned at the amount of gold, silver, and bronze in the vault. Then it occurred to him: Sirius spent 12 years in Azkaban, not spending any money, and he hadn't had much of a chance to spend any since he got out. So, must of his funds that he might have had before his imprisonment logically would still be there. Also there with the money was a set of keys and two thick envelopes of parchment.  
Dumbledore reached in and pulled out the envelopes. Harry saw that one envelope had the words: LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT written on it. Dumbledore opened this enveloped and read the letter inside. " 'October the 31st, 1980. Having no wife or child I, Sirius Black, in full knowledge of what this statement means, leave all earthly possessions (money, home, motorcycle, et cetra) to Harry James Potter, my godson.' " Dumbledore folded the letter and asked the goblin, "Are you satisfied with this statement?"  
"Yes. These things will be moved to Mister Potter's vault at once."  
"If you can do that without us, Mister Potter will remove this morning's funds from this vault and we'll be on our way. Though we expect the all things from this vault moved into the other by his next visit."  
"Of course." He gave Harry a bag and Harry scooped money into it. He'd have to buy his school things, and undoubtedly he'd spend money at Hogsmeade during the year. As an afterthought he took the keys too.  
Dumbledore pocketed the other letter that he'd taken out of the vault.  
They went back up the track at a breakneck speed that matched the speed at which they'd come down originally.  
When they stepped out into the bright sunlight of Diagon Alley Harry demanded to see the letter.  
"Here it is, Harry."  
Harry read the letter. It was the deed to 12 Grimmaulde Place.  
"So we can keep Headquarters where it was last year?" he asked quietly.  
"Yes, Harry."  
Harry suddenly became aware of two figures not more than ten yards away. Kingsley Shacklebolt and Dedalus Diggle. He was puzzled as to why they should be there.  
"Harry, don't you think we ought to go get your books?"  
"You never sent out the booklist."  
"Oh, here it is." He handed Harry an envelope.  
Inside was the usual notice about going to platform 9 and three quarters on September the first for the start of term and with that was the book list. "Who's teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts?"  
"I can't tell you that, Harry. But that does bring up an excellent question. What are your plans concerning that club of yours?"  
"Oh. That." Dumbledore had finally brought up the D.A.  
"I think it's an excellent idea to continue the club. But perhaps under a new name? And mention it only to those students that you can trust. Hmm?"  
"Yeah. How about the Defense Association?"  
"Excellent. Any plans about where to meet?"  
"I'd like to keep it in the same place as before, sir."  
"I thought so. Then as Headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry I hearby grant you permission for this club. The bookstore is just ahead there. Now as you probably don't want an old fuddy-duddy like myself shopping with you I'll leave you be after just one question more. I have here Ronald Weasly's start of term letter; you have your letter there. Honestly, which envelope do you believe this letter about being the Quiditch captain should go in?"  
Harry desperately wanted to be the Quiditch captain. He'd had years more practice on the team than Ron had had. And Ron had Prefect duties to worry about to. Harry wondered what was stopping him from shouting, "Pick me!" Suddenly he knew what it was. In addition to everything else did he want to have something else to worry about? He knew the answer. "Sir, I think that that letter should find a home with me."  
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Here. It's already got your name on it." He handed over the letter about being Quiditch captain, as well as envelopes with Ron and Hermione's names on them. "Goodbye, Harry." He vanished.  
Harry was still aware of Shacklebolt and Diggle behind him but he decided to ignore him and he went into the IFlourish Iand IBlotts to buy his books. He hadn't been there for more than a few seconds when he saw Ron and Hermione.  
"See, mate? I told you we'd see you soon."  
"How'd you know to come? You don't even have your booklists yet."  
"Lupin showed up this morning at Hermione's and told her parents, 'Okay, I'm taking the children away and you won't seem them 'til next summer.' "  
"No he didn't. Ron's exaggerating. But Professor Lupin did come and get us this morning. He told us to come here and wait until we saw you. He also said that once we'd finished our shopping we should go back to the Leaky Cauldron and travel the Floo network back to the Burrow. And from there we'd be given further instructions. What happened with you?"  
"Dumbledore. He came and got me this morning. Sirius left everything to me. Everything. House." He remembered the keys, and suddenly he remembered a discussion he'd heard years ago, the first time he'd really heard just how close to his parents Sirius was. "His motorcycle."  
"Motorcycle?"  
"His flying motorcycle. Long story."  
"What else did Dumbledore say?"  
"We can keep the D.A. But he wants it quiet. And change the name to the Defense Association. And he said somebody was trying to kill my aunt. Or will try to."  
"What are you talking about?"  
"Why should that matter?"  
"It's a little tough to explain but it Idoes matter. Dumbledore's set up all sorts of anti-wizard stuff there."  
This was met with silence.  
"Anyway, here. Your Hogwarts letters." He gave them each there letter.  
"Hey! Aren't they supposed to say who the Quiditch captain is, Harry? Where's your letter? You made it, didn't you? It had to be you."  
"Yeah. Me." He felt guilty.  
"That's great!" said Ron. He punched a fist in the air. "We're going to Icream those Slytherins. Ha! This'll be so much fun."  
"We'd better get our books," pointed out Hermione.  
"Right," said the boys.  
They found their books and paid for them.  
They went to the next store over and bought parchment, ink, and quills. And then went to the apothecary to refill their potions kits.  
"We should go stop in on Fred and George," said Harry.  
"Yeah. Good idea."  
Harry got his first good look at Weaslys' Wizard Wheezes. They went inside.  
He found Fred at the counter while George demonstrated one of his Skiving Snackboxes to a customer.  
"Impressive," Harry commented.  
"Couldn't have done it without you. What'll you have today?"  
"Another set of Extendables. A full set of Skiving Snackboxes. And a bottle of Pest Pop."  
"Great." George put his things in a bag for him.  
Harry handed over the money.  
The other customer paid for his purchase and left. The twins put a sign on the door that said TEN MINUTE BREAK.  
"So what did Dumbledore say?"  
"The D.A. stays. I'm Quiditch captain. And I've inherited the Black house."  
"So it gets to stay Headquarters, right?"  
"Yeah."  
"Good. Good. And you made Captain! Do us proud, huh?"  
"Sure thing."  
"We've got to go. We're supposed to go back to the Burrow."  
"See you guys soon." They went back to the Leaky Cauldron, and through the fireplace to Ron's house. 


	7. Home to Headquarters

Harry looked around Ron's kitchen. Lupin was there, waiting for them. "Hello."  
"Hello, Professor."  
Ron asked, "Er, Professor? What are you doing in my house?"  
"Waiting for the three of you to show up. Please step away from the fireplace so the others can come in behind you."  
"Others?" Hermione asked, puzzled. She moved with the rest.  
Dedalus Diggle and Kingsley Shacklebolt came through the fire, one directly after the other.  
"Harry, have you settled things at Gringotts?"  
"Yeah. Everything's set." Harry felt hollow inside. They'd be going back to Sirius's house. And Sirius was dead. He wasn't going to be there. He didn't want to go anymore.  
"Alright. Kingsley, you take Ron, Hermione, and Ginny to Headquarters via the Knight Bus. Dedalus and I will take Harry on the broomsticks."  
"My broomstick is in my trunk. At number 12," said Harry.  
"No. It was dropped off here this morning. Though that is where your trunk is."  
They ate a late lunch and then Kingsley and Harry's friends went outside and called the Knight Bus. Dedalus Diggle went off to patrol the perimeter.  
"We'll start off in a couple of hours. We want a little more cloud cover. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny's school things have already been moved to Headquarters."  
"Why don't we all travel by Floo powder? It'd be much quicker."  
"You never know who's monitoring the Floo network."  
"But we traveled the Floo network to get here. We were supposed to."  
"Yes but it's expected that you and Hermione travel to the Burrow during the summer and likely that it's from Diagon Alley. Nothing to get suspicious about. In fact it might have been suspicious if you hadn't arrived here by Floo powder."  
Harry said nothing.  
"I enjoyed reading your letters this summer. Though I admit it was strange to see them signed with your father's name."  
"I was only following the instructions you gave me. Call myself James and use a different name for anyone else when possible. I'm sure Tonks loved being called Dora," he finished sarcastically. Nymphadora Tonks preferred to be known by her surname only.  
"Harry, no need to get angry. I know these past few months have been hard on you. They've been difficult for me too. I knew Sirius much longer than you did and I tell you he died the way he wanted to! You must make peace with his death, Harry! If you don't it will eat you alive. The same way your parents' death ate Sirius and me."  
Harry was silent.  
"12 years alone to brood over the fact that if he hadn't changed Peter to their secret-keeper they would be alive today! It was killing him, Harry. Killing him! Sirius would have died before betraying your parents and so would I! When we'd realized what had happened we felt responsible. It was awful! You don't know what it's like!"  
Harry raised his eyebrows at this little display of anger that was so uncommon in Remus Lupin. "And you were the level-headed one of the bunch, weren't you?"  
"I'm sorry, Harry." He sighed. "I suppose you do know what it's like."  
"Yes, I do. You had no more control over what happened to my parents than I did over what happened to Cedric," he said firmly. But I do feel responsible about what happened to Sirius.  
"It's nearly time to go."  
"Alright."  
"There are more guards coming. We're waiting for them to arrive before we leave."  
"How many?"  
"4 more."  
"So that's 6 total? Just to fly me to London?" he asked in disbelief.  
"Yes. Dumbledore feels it necessary."  
"Who's coming?"  
"Nearly the same guard as last year. Elphias Doge, Sturgis Podmore, Emmeline Vance, and Hestia Jones. And of course Dedalus Diggle and myself."  
Harry nodded. This was certainly getting old. People tailing him wherever he went. He hated it, that's what it'd been last summer. He had a sudden thought. "Was I being watched the whole summer? Like last year?"  
"Yes, I'm afraid so, Harry."  
"I'm not a little kid anymore, Professor."  
"Who knows that better than I do, Harry?"  
"Everyone still treats me as one though. Like if they aren't there they think I'm going to break my neck and then I won't be alive to kill Voldemort for them," he said bitterly.  
"Harry, I never heard the Prophecy," he said quietly.  
"Me and my big mouth. I'm as bad as Hagrid."  
One by one the Advance Guard arrived to take Harry away. The sky was beginning to darken as they mounted their brooms and all flew away into distance.  
They landed outside of number 12 Grimmaulde Place, which appeared out of nowhere between numbers 11 and 13, and Harry felt satisfied. If nothing else, he could hang out with his friends.  
They went inside without ringing the doorbell. 


	8. Ghost's Voice

AUTHOR'S NOTE: McGonagall couldn't decide whether to make Potter or Weasley the Quiditch Captain. Remember who in OotP Dumbledore didn't make Harry a Prefect because he wasn't sure he wanted to add that burden on top of everything else for Harry? That's the dilemma they were at and that's why they asked Harry. But it was Dumbledore who did the asking for McGonagall because Harry had to be with Dumbledore at that part of the story for that whole inheritance thing.  
  
The first person Harry saw when he got inside was Molly Weasley, Ron's mum. "Harry, dear!" she whispered and enveloped him in a tight hug. "How are you? Skin and bones! We'll fix that. I've got dinner started. Ron and Hermione are upstairs in the room you stayed in last year."  
Harry knew from her whispering that she was trying not to wake up the cranky portrait on the nearby wall. "Thanks, Mrs. Weasley." He turned and went up the stairs.  
"Mrs. Weasley added, "And that other boy is up there too. And Ginny."  
"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley." He wondered what other boy she was talking about. He opened the door. Sitting in the two beds inside were Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville. "Neville?" Harry gaped.  
"Hi, Harry. My Gran joined the Order."  
Hermione smiled. "We've been waiting for you, Harry."  
"For me?"  
"We've got to discuss the D.A."  
"Okay," he said, sitting down on his bed next to Ginny, "what about it?"  
"Harry," Ginny said with more than a touch of exasperation, "like whether or not there even will a D.A. this year? Not to mention all the details if there is one."  
"For example when we're going to meet."  
"How we pick members."  
"And where we'll meet."  
"And I'm supposed to figure this all out myself, am I?" asked Harry.  
"Of course not," said Hermione. "That's why we're here."  
"We all know Hermione is the brains of this operation," piped up Neville. He passed her ink, a quill, and parchment.  
"Thanks, Neville." Hermione smiled.  
"Wait, I'm not sure if we should keep the D.A. running," Harry said suddenly, and somewhat to his own surprise, not to mention the surprise of the others.  
"What are you talking about?"  
"We got the okay from Dumbledore."  
"And the way things are going self defense is more important than ever."  
"You can't be serious, Harry."  
"Well, I am serious. I mean, who knows? Maybe our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher won't be totally useless this year."  
"Harry, that's not the same and you know it," Hermione said firmly. "Whomsoever he or she is probably won't be able to tell us what it's really like to face Dark Wizards. You know. You understand."  
"I guess.but something doesn't feel right."  
"Harry, unless you have a better reason than that I think we should keep the D.A."  
Harry was still uneasy. "That's right, if I quit who are you going to have run it? You could keep going without me, you know."  
"How are we supposed to do that?"  
"The four of you would be pretty good at running it. And you've got more experience than anybody else in the D.A." Harry pointed out.  
"Other than you," pointed out Neville. "I don't know the details of all your little adventures and I don't want to know. But I do know that you know more about this than the rest of us. Lestrange is still out there and I'm going to make her pay!"  
Harry suddenly realized that he had no choice. He had to keep this club running. Too many people had been hurt like he and Neville had. Moody's words from the summer before floated back to him. The Prewettes had died fighting like heroes. The Longbottoms' fate had been worse than death. Tortured to insanity by the same woman who killed Sirius. And Wormtail was still out there. He'd betrayed Harry's parents to their deaths and he was still out there. He was angry, "If you guys'll have me, I want to keep the D.A. open!" His voice was unusually harsh.  
Hermione gave a satisfied smile. "Good. We thought so. Okay, so all in favor of still using the room of requirement as the meeting place?"  
"Sounds good to me."  
"Same."  
"Me too."  
"Yeah."  
Hermione made a note on her parchment. "Everyone in favor of using the fake Galleons to arrange meeting times?" Everyone agreed. Another note. "Now, there's one more minor detail I want to cover. All in favor of evicting Cho Chang from the D.A., if she tries to come back?"  
"I'm all for it. And if she won't leave, I've got methods to.persuade her." Ginny grinned in a manner not unlike that her twin brothers often used before or just after causing mischief. Ginny Weasley might be small but she could fight like mad and one of her hexes being thrown at you was nothing to joke about.  
Ron pounded his fist into his palm. "I say we chuck her out."  
"And Marietta too if she wants back in," said Neville. "Harry? What do you say?"  
"I'm not so sure. The D.A. isn't against the rules anymore, so we don't have to worry about getting caught or anything. I think everyone who wants to learn to defend himself, or herself, should be allowed to."  
"Oh, come off it, Harry. Just because you have a thing for Cho and you dated her is no reason to let her back in the D.A." said Neville.  
Ginny blinked in surprise. "You never heard, Neville? They broke up like last Febuary. He doesn't even like her anymore. Can't stand her."  
"Ginny, I can speak for myself. But she is right, Neville. The fact that I used to date Cho has nothing to do with it, it's just like-"  
"Nobody tells me anything. But, wait, if he doesn't fancy Cho anymore then who does he fancy?" Neville asked Ginny.  
"Nobody!" Harry said angrily. They weren't paying attention.  
"Well, he hasn't said anything but I think he likes." Ginny whispered the name in Neville's ear.  
His eyes widened. "Her? Never! Harry would never fancy her. Would you, Harry?"  
"I don't know who you're talking about. Can we please get back on topic?" Harry felt the color rising in his cheeks.  
"But this is the new topic. Oh, all right, have it your way, Harry. I'll talk to you about it later, Neville." Ginny said that last part in a whisper.  
"I was thinking," said Ron, loudly in case his sister decided to do anymore talking. "And I think the D.A. should have a Headquarters, other than the room of requirement."  
"Where would you suggest?"  
"The Shrieking Shack. It's perfect."  
"That place is haunted!" said Neville.  
"It's a long story but it's not haunted," said Harry.  
"Not anymore," said Hermione. "It used to be haunted by a werewolf though."  
There was a knock at the door. Mr. Weasley popped his head inside and said cheerfully, "Dinner."  
"We'll be right down, Dad."  
"Okay." He left.  
"So where's your Gran, Neville?"  
"Out on some business or other for Dumbledore, I think," he answered. "I'm staying here 'til September."  
  
Now that he was at number 12 and with his friends again, Harry found the summer passing much too quickly for his liking. The five of them hung out together most of the time. They visited Fred and George several times at their joke shop. The twins weren't staying at Grimmauld Place; they were looking after the Burrow and holding down the fort there since their parents weren't home. Bill and Charlie, Ron's two oldest brothers, were staying at Grimmauld Place as well, though they were hardly around.  
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville were recruited by Mrs. Weasley to help further decontaminate the house and make it livable. Sirius's family had been dark wizards and until last summer when the Order of the Phoenix set up headquarters here it'd been empty the ten years since Sirius's mother had died.  
The previous summer they'd done a lot of the clean-up work, this summer they had to do more. All sorts of vile things infected the place.  
It was down to the last week before school started and Harry went to the one place he'd been dreading to go, because he knew it would hurt too much. But he'd have to do it, Lupin had been right when he said he'd have to deal with Sirius's death. Harry opened the door to Sirius's room and stepped inside.  
Inside was a comfortable looking bed. There was a rug on the floor, old clothes lie rumpled on top of it; Sirius had never been a very neat person. Harry looked at the window and noticed something, a carving; Harry didn't doubt that it was Sirius'. It said, "I hate my parents. My family is crazy. If I have to stay here one more day I'll go mad." Harry couldn't tell if Sirius had carved the words as a child or this past year. Sirius had thought himself free of this house of horror when he ran away at age sixteen; coming back had surely torn him apart. Harry could imagine the same happening with him and the Dursleys.  
Harry noticed the nightstand by the bedside and saw parchment resting on top. There was a letter there, started, but never finished and never sent. He picked it up and began to read. It was addressed to him.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
There are some things I wanted to get off my chest. Look, you're like the son I never had and the kid brother I wish I'd had instead of Regulus. You and me, we're birds of a feather. I'm going stir crazy here and I know you would too. Can't you imagine what it'd be like if you had to go back to the Dursleys after you thought you'd be gone from them and their house forever? I feel useless here. And I feel like I failed you as a godfather. All those years when I was locked up, when I wasn't thinking about Lilly and James, I was thinking about you. Some godfather I am, right? If I would have known what was going on at the Dursleys, I would have.I don't know but I would have tried harder to get out of there sooner, Harry.  
Your dad and I were like brothers, Harry. Kind of like you and your friend Ron. Don't let go of that friendship, Harry. Listen to Molly, will you? She's got your best interests at heart and she was able to be there for you when I couldn't. She's right; you're as good as being her own blood born son.  
James and I made a promise, Harry. James, Remus, and I. Did I tell you James was an only child? We were as much brothers as he needed. When you were born we said that as long as any of us lived you were going to be all right. Remus is as fond of you as I am and I care about you as much as James did. Look, Harry, I'm probably never going to get married; almost the whole world thinks I'm a crazed killer. Even the Muggles do. Remus said he won't marry either, because he's a werewolf and he doesn't want to put anyone at risk. If he did get married and have a kid it's a fifty-fifty chance that the kid would be a werewolf. I guess what I'm trying to say, Harry, is that we care about you. So even if you think we aren't doing the right thing by you, like having you under constant watch this past summer, but it's only 'cause we care so much. You're like a son and a nephew to us. You're the only family I need. I'm leaving everything to you, including this house, though I can't imagine why you'd want the house. But, seeing as your parents' house was blown up because of that no good dirty rat, at least this is a place and you're always welcome here with me. I can't wait to teach you how to ride my flying motorcycle. I keep a set of keys in the desk in my room and a set in my vault. The motorcycle is in the cupboard under the stairs.  
I've got to tell you something about your aunt. She's not as dumb as she seems about the wizard world. She knows things. I got the story from Lilly herself. The truth is  
  
The letter ended there. Harry knew it was Sirius's handwriting. He scrubbed the tears out of his eyes with the back of his hand and sat down on the bed to reread the letter. The date was the same as the day Sirius had died.  
Harry didn't hear the footsteps until Lupin was right beside him.  
"Hello, Harry."  
"Professor.I-"  
"You left the door open, I thought I'd come in and say hello. I haven't been in here since before he died. No one has."  
"He wrote this." Harry showed him the letter.  
"Sirius." Lupin chuckled. "He's right you know."  
"About what?"  
"About all of it. The three of us were like brothers. Granted they were even closer than I was, after all they had all that time in detention together. Even when they were in separate detentions they still talked using those magic mirrors of theirs. I wonder if he still has those?" he mused.  
Harry's eyes frantically scanned the room. 


	9. The Mirror Changes Hands

"What is it, Harry? What's wrong?"  
"The mirror! He gave me one of the mirrors! I've got to find the other one. It's in here somewhere. I know it is. He told me that if we could use it to talk last year. The other one's got to still be here." He started riffling through papers on the desk and checking in drawers. At last he found it inside the nightstand. "I've got it."  
"But where's the other mirror, Harry?"  
"In my trunk, I.I shattered it. I was angry."  
"I might be able to fix it for you."  
"Let's go then." Harry brought him back to his room. And took everything out of his trunk that was still in it. The shards of mirror and the frame were still at the bottom.  
Lupin took out his wand. "Reparo!" The shards of mirror flew back into their frame, whole. "But question is, does the spell still work for communicating. Sirius and James were smart, quite like the Weasley twins. Brilliant minds but only interested in applying themselves as they wanted to. Sirius and James developed these mirrors themselves, you know."  
"Oh. Here goes." Harry spoke firmly to the mirror, "I want talk to Remus Lupin. Remus Lupin."  
"Harry, your face seems to have appeared in my mirror. Success."  
"Great."  
"Do you have any particular plans for the mirrors now that they're in working order?"  
"I don't know."  
"You could use them to communicate with whoever is here. Or to talk with Dumbledore. Or at Hogwarts."  
"I'll have to think about that, it's a good idea."  
  
Harry went back to Sirius's room the night before term started and sat at the desk in a large over-stuffed armchair. Everyone else was at dinner but he'd told them that he wasn't hungry. He looked through the papers and sheaves of parchment trying to find.something. He just wasn't sure what.  
He found photographs. Hidden in an envelope in the very back of the desk. He looked through them. James, Sirius, and Remus stared back at him in the first three photos. Two of the photos had a headless fourth person with a little circle missing as though the head was blasted off with a wand. Harry knew it must be Peter. The next picture showed Harry's dad sitting in a chair in the common room, apparently asleep. But standing over him was Sirius, drawing on his face with ink and a quill. Another picture showed Lilly and James together, laughing. Harry looked through the rest of the photos, there had to be more than two-dozen.  
"Harry? Lupin said I'd find you here. Are you okay?"  
"Yeah. I'm fine."  
"No, you're not. This is hard on you. I know it is. And I know what this is like. I remember when Gramps died. It was awful. Then it was just Gran and me."  
"Are you packed? We're leaving early tomorrow."  
"Almost. Harry, don't leave me out this year."  
"What are you talking about, Neville?"  
"You, Ron, and Hermione. You're always leaving me out."  
"Of what?"  
"Everything! I know I can't play Quiditch the way you and Ron can. And I know I'm not smart like Hermione. But I'm not useless. I could help. I helped last year."  
"I know, Neville. I know you're not useless but-"  
"It's no secret that you didn't want us there. We aren't that dense, well maybe Luna is but that's beside the point."  
" 'Us' who?"  
"Me, Ginny, and Luna. We know you didn't want us there. We knew that then too."  
"That's 'cause I don't want you guys to get hurt."  
"That may be part of it but that's not all of it. You don't think we can handle ourselves and Ron and Hermione agree with you. But we know what we're doing, Harry. If it wasn't for that bloody nose I would have gotten Lestrange! Or I would have died trying. You don't know what it did to me when I read in the paper that she escaped."  
Harry remembered Neville's redoubled efforts at the D.A. meetings just after the article about the escape of the Azkaban prisoners. His progress from then on had become almost scary. Harry knew what he was going to do with the mirrors. "Where's everybody else?"  
"Still eating, I think. Why?"  
"Come with me back to our room. I've got an idea." Harry shut the door firmly behind Neville and then went to where the room they shared with Ron was. "You've got to swear not to tell or show this to anybody, Neville."  
"I won't, Harry. You know you can trust me."  
"Okay. Here." Harry had put both mirrors in his trunk and only Lupin knew they were there. He now took out one of the mirrors and gave it to Neville.  
"Is this so I can check my hair or something?"  
"No. These belonged to.my dad and Sirius. They used them to talk if they were in separate detentions. Anyway, I want you to have one. I don't know what's going to happen at school this year but.if we need to talk and we're separated you just look in the mirror here and say my name, or I like in mine and say yours. My face will appear in your mirror."  
"Thanks, Harry. This means a lot."  
Harry was pleased; he knew that Neville was the perfect person to have the mirror as long as he didn't break it. Harry pushed that thought out of his mind; otherwise he might snatch back the mirror. He and Ron we're always together so there'd be absolutely no point in giving the mirror to Ron.  
  
The next morning Harry and the others were all woken early. They put last minute things into their trunks, choked down some breakfast, and were soon ready to leave. The Weasleys and Neville walked to King's Cross, accompanied by Elphias Doge.  
Harry's escort to the station consisted of Mad-Eye Moody and Tonks, with Kingsley Shacklebolt checking their rear and sides for anybody following them. Once they were safely at the station Kingsley Apperated away but Moody and Tonks remained to say farewell. 


	10. Annual Train Ride

"We'll be in touch with your aunt and uncle, boy. And if you want to go back to them for Christmas tell Dumbledore and we'll be in touch."  
"Yeah, Harry. I know how much you miss the Dursleys already." Tonks gave him one of her customary grins.  
Together, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny boarded the train. Harry turned to wave goodbye to Tonks and Moody, but they were already gone.  
"We've got to go to the Prefect car. We'll be back when we can, Harry," Hermione told him.  
"Find an empty car and we'll find you," Ron said.  
Ginny said to Ron, "We have to go, we're going to be late." She fondled her Prefect badge happily. She was the fifth Prefect in the family; everyone of her brothers had been a Prefect with exception of the twins. Ron and Hermione started off toward the Prefect car but Ginny stayed, and whispered to Harry, "Go to the last car, Harry. I had a friend save seats." She turned and followed her brother.  
Harry dragged his trunk down to the last car and opened the door. Luna Lovegood was staring out the window; her hair in its usual disarray blonde straggly dirty blonde hair sticking out in all directions with her wand tucked behind the ear for safekeeping. She was reading the Quibbler, her father's magazine. Harry sat down across from Luna and hoped she wouldn't say anything to him. A few minutes went by in silence. He was looking out the window when she suddenly said, "Hello, Harry."  
"Er, hey, Luna. How was your summer?"  
"Good. I've taken a job working on the Quibbler. I get to write articles now." She handed him the magazine she'd been reading.  
Harry took it and couldn't help but notice her pink and green striped nail polish. Her protuberant eyes looked glazed and faraway, just as he remembered. Those eyes had haunted him throughout the summer, appearing randomly in his thoughts.  
"Sirius is still with you, you know."  
"Huh?" Harry blinked in surprise.  
"You remember him, right? So, he never really left."  
  
Harry didn't respond. Sirius was the closest thing he had to a father. His death had haunted him this past summer like that of Cedric Diggory, who had been a fellow student at Hogwarts, had the summer before.  
"The woman Daddy is dating brought over an edition of the Prophet. I read all about Sirius's acquittal. Sometimes I still sense my mum. Right here with me."  
"Er, that's nice." Harry hoped Ron and Hermione came back soon. Or even Ginny. Where was Neville? He handed back the magazine.  
The door opened.  
"Potter," spat a tall blonde boy with something of a rat look about him. He was flanked by his thugs Crabbe and Goyle. "He's going to get you this year. The Dark Lord will kill you, if I don't do it first after what you put my family through. Who's this? Potter, you finally found someone as crazy as you. Is she your new girlfriend? I'm sure that Weasly wench is heartbroken."  
"Knock it off, Malfoy." Harry was surprised to find he'd taken out his wand. Draco Malfoy had done the same.  
"Make me. You're going to pay for what you said in that magazine. I've been brushing up on the Unforgivables this summer. You'll suffer, you'll suffer and then you'll die. Cru-"  
"Silencio! Ardebam! Ardebam! Ardebam!"  
Harry looked at Luna and then at the boys in the doorway. Still clutching the magazine in her fingers she glanced up and had cursed all three of them. Then she dropped her gaze back down to the article she'd been reading and stuck her wand behind her ear again.  
Meanwhile Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were screaming, although the screams were muted. Harry could see their mouths working but not a single sound came out. And they were on fire. She'd set their robes on fire! Harry glanced down at the girl reading the Quibbler with newfound respect. Maybe she wasn't quite as dumb as she looked; then again, where turnip earrings it was hard not be. Harry pushed them out into the hall and slammed the door shut. He grinned. When he looked back at Luna she was thumbing through her magazine looking for a new article, and reading it sideways.  
Harry sat down and began to stare out the window again, bored out of his skull. The compartment door opened again.  
"Hi, Harry."  
"Hey, Neville. What's up?"  
"I saw Malfoy and them out in the hall. They're running to the bathroom trying to find some water. Did you do that to them, Harry? Malfoy nearly wet himself!" Neville sat,0 laughing.  
"Not me." He nodded at Luna, who was still absorbed in her magazine.  
"Her? She did that?" he asked quietly.  
"Yeah."  
The door opened yet again. "Harry! Neville! We heard about what happened to those Slytherins. Hannah told us. Which one of you did it?" asked Hermione.  
"It wasn't us."  
"Then who was it?" asked Ron, looking around and seeing only Luna.  
Ginny grinned, "It was you, Luna. Wasn't it?"  
Luna glanced up from her reading, "They were getting on my nerves. Ginny, did you know the whales are really super-intelligent beings from another planet? They have plans to overthrow the Muggles."  
Hermione rolled her eyes and everyone else, except Luna who was oblivious behind her magazine, burst out laughing. 


	11. Return to the Hallowed Halls

The Hogwarts Express pulled in at the Hogsmeade station and the students disembarked. The first years followed Hagrid's call and boarded little boats from lake, whereas everyone else got in the carriages pulled by threstals. Luna parted company from the other five who all boarded the same carriage.  
"I don't know about the rest of you but I thought Luna was very surprising on the train back there with those Slytherins," said Hermione.  
Everyone agreed.  
"I wonder where she learned that spell for setting fire to something like that? It's different from the one used to make those little portable fires like I used to. What she did wasn't taught in class, or the D.A."  
Neville said quietly, "I think there's more to her than meets the eye."  
Ron frowned, "Maybe she not as stupid as she seems, but if she isn't, then why does she play dumb?"  
Nobody could answer.  
The got out of the carriage and followed the mob into the Great Hall.  
For the first time in Harry's memory the sorting hat sung the same song two years in a row. Only now the voice sounded more urgent than before. It had taken out the last line of the song ("Let the Sorting now begin") added one final stanza in it's place.  
  
I bid you do this in haste!  
We are all in danger,  
With no time to waste!  
Though you are loath to believe,  
I promise I do not deceive,  
When I say that all were friends and never to be parted,  
So only can all sorry end when made as if this rift had  
never started!  
  
Only a few students clapped and the teachers were as stunned as the students. This song did nothing what so ever to improve the condition of the first years waiting to be sorted. They were now paler than ever and many were trembling. One boy's knees were wobbling so much that he sunk down to the floor and was only saved from a crash by the girl next to him catching hold of his arm and holding him up. They looked remarkably alike; Harry wondered if they were related.  
Harry sat with Neville on one side of him and Hermione across from him. Ron sat one side of Hermione, Ginny on the other. They all watched more attentively, having listened closely to the hat's words.  
Professor McGonagall unrolled the scroll that contained the names of the first years to be sorted. Harry listened and watched. When McGonagall got down to the name "Muriel Hundus" the girl who had helped the sagging boy (who still wasn't doing well) gave what appeared to be a sharp comment to the person behind her and the person in front of her to help the boy while she went and sat on the sorting stool. She sat there for quite some time before it announced, "Slytherin!" What part of her face could be seen under the aged sorting hat had remained neutral while she sat there.  
She now showed neither delight, sorrow, regret, nor any kind of emotion as she approached the cheers of the Slytherin table, only a steely calm.  
McGonagall read the next name, "Marcus Hundus". Sure enough this was the boy who had nearly fallen before. He left the arms of the two who had been supporting him. Harry expected the boy to be sorting into Slytherin as the girl, who Harry assumed was probably his cousin, had been. But instead after a long while on the stool with the hat, the hat cried, "Gryffindor!"  
The Gryffindors applauded and Marcus came and sat down coincidentally, right next to Harry.  
"Hullo, I'm Marcus Hundus."  
"Hi, I'm Harry Potter."  
"I know. And you two are Weasleys, right? You, I've seen your picture somewhere, or a face remarkable like yours." This last comment was issued to Neville.  
Neville shook his head. "My picture's never been anywhere."  
"Oh! I know! You're mother or father must have been a Vinewood. That's the face you have at least. Am I right?"  
Neville nodded dumbly.  
The sorting ended as Galena Yasaman became a Hufflepuff. Professor McGonagall took the stool and hat and walked away.  
Dumbledore rose, "I'm sure you're all as hungry as I am so on with the feast and we'll save announcements for later!"  
Harry turned back to the discussion they'd been having. He was quite interested; he realized that must be Neville's mother's maiden name. "Just who are you to know so much about the rest of us?"  
"I already told you, didn't I?" he sounded surprised. "I'm Marcus Hundus. Never heard the name?" No one responded. "That's all right, family lives a bit a ways off. My mother's name was Prewette if that helps to jog any memories."  
Harry nearly choked on his chicken and the reactions of Ron and Hermione were nearly the same. "Did you say 'Prewette'?"  
"Yeah. That's right."  
Ron asked, "I bet you were shocked to see your cousin end up in Slytherin."  
"Cousin?" He sounded confused. "Haven't got any cousins. My mother's brothers both died years ago. I'd say about 15 years ago, so I never met them. You must mean my sister Muriel. We're twins."  
Ron repeated, "Did it surprise you that she was in Slytherin? That's where the mean ones go."  
Marcus blinked. "Hardly. The brains go to Ravenclaw. Real strength of character and loyalty go to Hufflepuff. The real reckless ones are in Gryffindor. And the ambitious ones are in Slytherin. Oh don't look so surprised. Pure-Blood family and we've had people in every house. Believe me, the Slytherins aren't all evil. I know some of them are but I'm just as positive that there have been rotten ones in every house. Slytherin just gets most of them because the Slytherin house stands for ambition and cunning. Slytherins are the ones that are so ambitious often that they don't care who they hurt on their way to getting what they want. That's why Slytherins have a bad rep."  
There was really no proper response to something like this.  
Fortunately for Harry and his friends, Marcus began chatting amiably with a girl next to him.  
Harry had been keeping count during the sorting and the same number went to every house. He wondered if anyone else noticed.  
"It seemed nearly the same number went to every house," said Hermione.  
"Not nearly. I was counting. It was dead even," said Harry. 


	12. Defensive Skills

Harry went down to the Great Hall and sat down beside Ron to breakfast.  
"I was wondering about that guy last night," said Ron.  
"Yeah, me too."  
"The Prewettes, they were part of the bird watchers club right? The first one. Moody showed me a picture last summer."  
Harry said quietly, "Yeah. Fabian and Gideon Prewette. Moody told me they died fighting like heroes. Took 5 Death Eaters to get Gideon."  
Somebody further down the bench was passing out schedules and Harry looked at his schedules. Harry glanced at his list and didn't recognize the first name on it, "Who's Professor Delano?"  
"I dunno. Hey! We didn't even bother checking the staff table last night to see who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is. I bet that's who he is."  
"Yeah. And we've got our N.E.W.T. Defense Against the Dark Arts class first. Oh well, at least we'll be able to figure out what type of class we're in for. As long as he isn't anything like Umbridge we'll be fine."  
Hermione sat down, "What makes you so sure the professor is a he? We very well could have a witch you know."  
They went to class. Harry, Ron, and Hermione took seats in the front. Harry was glad to see that Neville had made it into the class too. The class buzzed with anticipation. The teacher was nearly ten minutes late, though there was a hawk sitting on the desk nearly statue still.  
Harry and the others looked at the hawk wondering why it wasn't in the Owlery and the teacher wasn't in class.  
Suddenly Harry felt a hand around his throat, not choking him but with power that threatened he could be choked at any moment. A deep voice said, "Petrificus Totalus". He heard gasps in various corners of the room. Out of the corner of his eye he saw that students were enduring the same treatment as him or who wands in their backs. He was proud to see Ron and Hermione on either side of him had leapt to their feet and were covering the man who was choking him with their wands. The eagle on the desk transformed and became a tall, blonde woman who couldn't possibly been more than 40; she spoke in what Harry was fairly sure was an American accent, "Enough! Release!"  
The man who had Harry's neck let go and he preformed the counter- jinx, as did the other men and women who had attacked his classmates. Hermione and Ron however were still covering Harry's attacker with their wands.  
"Children, I said release," the teacher said sharply.  
Only reluctantly did they settle back in their seats.  
"I'd like my volunteers to please come forward." Half a dozen men and women came to stand at the front of the room. "That was a test," she said simply. "I must say you all failed dismally. Although I must applaud the efforts of the two of you, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger."  
"You know our names already?"  
"I make it a point to know my surroundings, it's safer this way. You are in my classroom and therefore you are part of my surroundings for however long I shall be teaching here. As I said, though I applaud your efforts, everyone still failed dismally." Hermione's hand went up. "No, Miss Granger this was not a graded test." Hermione's hand went down. Professor Delano smiled. "Now, my volunteers here were hiding in this classroom using whatever means of stealth they felt was best for them. All of you sat here in this room for more than 10 minutes and didn't perceive their presence. Nor mine. They were hiding using Disillusionment Charms, Invisibility Cloaks, and a form of hypnosis of sorts that makes you convinced you do not see someone even if you are staring right at them. Now, they didn't do any curses that would inflict serious damage just some minor jinxes like the full-body bind, jelly legs, and the impediment curse. Had this been a real situation and not in a classroom you could have all been killed or badly injured. Any questions or comments?"  
Everyone was silent.  
"No questions? This class will be dull indeed."  
"Can you demonstrate the Disillusionment Charm?"  
"Yes, Mr. Longbottom. I will." She tapped her wand over her head. And suddenly the class could see right through her, literally. She was a human chameleon. She tapped her wand on her head again and returned to normal. "Anything else?"  
"Your history. How did you come to teach here? Your accent is American," said Lavender.  
"Yes. Observant. I attended Hogwarts a number of years ago and shortly after graduation I moved to the United States. I was teaching there but have come back this year as a special favor to Headmaster Dumbledore."  
"Why did you leave Britain in the first place?" asked Dean.  
"I have my reasons." Her voice brooked no nonsense and clearly stated that she would not be answering that question. "Anything else? No? Good. Then I shall proceed to explain this year's work. You will be dealing extensively with curses, counter-curses, hexes, and jinxes. Any questions? None? Good. That means you're brighter than I anticipated due to your lack of awareness at the beginning of class. Your Defense Against the Dark Arts course last year was utterly useless I am sorry to say. I still don't rightly understand how a single person was able to pass their O.W.L.s well enough to get in this class. Though I suppose some extra efforts outside of class could have done accomplished that." Harry had the fleetingly feeling that she looked in his direction. "I don't believe any Slytherins made it into my N.E.W.T class, or at least not more than a couple. At any rate there is a lot of work to do this year. You will have to practice. And practice. And practice. Constant vigilance is the only way for you to pass. Because the real test isn't the final exam at the end of term. The real test will come out in the world when you are attacked by Dark Wizards. Am I clear?"  
"Yes, Professor," the responded.  
"Take out your textbook."  
They did so.  
"Now put it away and take out your wand. Your textbook will be of very little use to you in this classroom and your wand is the most important thing to carry. For the remainder of the class break up into teams of three. One of my assistants will be with each group. They will teach you a basic curse. If you understand it and can perform it flawlessly they will move to a new one. I expect you to get through about five of them. If you can get through ten I'll be thoroughly impressed."  
Most groups managed to get through 7 or 8 of the curses, having studied many of them during the past year at the D.A meetings. Harry's group managed all ten and Professor Delano awarded them 15 house points. The bell rang and they left.  
"What did you think of class?" asked Ron.  
"I guess every teacher has a method for introducing themselves to a new class. McGonagall said Trelawny always predicted a student's death. This must just be how Delano breaks in a class. It was certainly interesting," said Hermione.  
"I don't think she likes me," said Harry.  
"What are you talking about?"  
"After the beginning part, she avoided looking at me. And it was kinda just a feeling I got. Like she seriously wanted to avoid me."  
"That's just silly," said Hermione.  
Harry still disagreed but he kept the opinion to himself.discover who the visitor was. 


	13. Quiditch

The first week of school past quickly. It was Sunday night when Ron asked when Harry was going to call a Quiditch team meeting. Harry'd nearly forgotten about the team with the amount of work piled on. He was taking a lot of N.E.W.T. classes.  
He posted a notice on the common room board saying that there would be a team meeting the following Saturday. Harry was dreading the meeting.  
But Saturday came nonetheless. Harry himself was the team Seeker, and Ron was the Keeper. Ginny was a Chaser. That was about all. They had two Beaters but Harry hoped to find replacements for them. And they still needed two more Chasers.  
Harry saw Marcus sitting in the common room off by himself and decided to go over and ask him something that had been on his mind. "Marcus, remember what you said about Slytherins at the start of term feast?"  
"Yes."  
"Well, what's your sister ambitious about?"  
"She's not really ambitious about getting high marks, so you don't have to worry about her cheating on tests. I'd guess I'd say Quiditch and defending anybody who's weaker would be her greatest endeavors."  
"Quiditch?"  
"Yeah, she really wants Slytherin to win this year."  
"And that doesn't bother you?"  
"Why should it? It's just friendly competition. So what if a couple of players on the other teams end up injured or with broken brooms?"  
"You do realize that that would include Gryffindor too, don't you?"  
"So?"  
Harry shook his head and muttering went down to the Quiditch field. Soon Ron and Ginny arrived followed by the two Beaters who had replaced Fred and George the year before. Also several people who would be trying out for the Chaser positions and to challenge the Beaters showed up.  
"Let's get to work."  
The tryouts were exhausting. But by the end of them it had been decided that the Chasers would be Ginny Weasley, Dennis Creevy, and Natalie MacDonald. Emma Dobbs and Derek Elroy became Beaters. Harry and Ron remained the Seeker and Keeper.  
Harry was exhausted when he lay down that night but his head was so full of the upcoming Quiditch season that he couldn't sleep. 


	14. A New Occlumency Class at Hogwarts

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, look I know I didn't post a chapter yesterday and this one is short again but I started school last week and though I AM going to keep writing this I loaded my schedule with as many honors classes as I could and I've got less time to write during the week. So chapters will either be short or may not come out everyday like they've been doing. Sorry. Enjoy! (sorry it's short again)  
  
Harry was just packing up his bag full of potions ingredients and the other students were filing out when Snape said, "Potter! I need to speak with you about your behavior in class today."  
Harry muttered to Hermione and Ron, "Wait outside for me?" He gritted his teeth. "Coming, Professor."  
"Potter, the Headmaster has been speaking to me. Apparently you, as well as a select group of students, will have the pleasure of taking Occlumency lessons with me. The Headmaster, Professor Delano and I shall all be teaching this class, alternating who teaches."  
"A select group of other students?"  
"Professor Dumbledore still feels it necessary for you to take Occlumency lessons, though he believes that if a student is possessed by the Dark Lord it won't be you. We've selected certain students that are more likely to be possessed and they will have lessons with you. If anyone asks where you are it is the Hogwarts Potions Guild, a new club, founded by you."  
"Yes, sir. Is that all?"  
"During this week the other students will be contacted. The first meeting will be next Monday evening at 8 o'clock in my classroom here. You're dismissed. Don't breathe a word of this to Weasley and Granger."  
The first thing Harry did when he walked outside the classroom was tell Ron and Hermione what Snape had said.  
"Really? I wonder who else will be included."  
"I'm surprised Delano was included," said Harry darkly.  
"Why?"  
"I still don't think she likes me. You notice that even if she speaks to me in class she doesn't look at me?" said Harry.  
"I don't know why that is, Harry. Maybe you should ask her," suggested Hermione.  
"No. I don't think so. 


	15. A Skilled Occlumens You Wouldn't Expect

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Alrighty my muse seems to have gone AWOL. That's why it's been so long between chapters and why this probably isn't very good. But anyway here goes the Occlumency lesson.  
  
Harry cautiously walked down to the Potions classroom, Ron on one side and Hermione on his other. They entered the classroom, eager to find out who else would be in the class. Harry wasn't looking forward to the lesson. It'd been a shock when the day after Harry'd been told about his resumed lessons Hermione came up to him and said that she'd been informed after Defense Against the Dark Arts that she would be learning Occlumency as well and later that day Ron had been told the same thing.  
Harry blinked in surprise at the number of people in the Potions room. He hadn't expected this, there had to be a dozen students here, including themselves. Neville, Ginny, and Susan Bones were chatting animatedly in at one table. Staring off into space was Luna, sitting alone. The Creevy brothers were talking to Professor Delano, and Snape was engaged in explaining something to Dumbledore. The Hundus twins were whispering together. Harry had just sat down with Ron and Hermione beside him when the door opened again and Cho Chang, Harry's former girlfriend, stalked in.  
"Good, now that everyone is finally here we can get to work," Snape said, his voice like acid.  
"Allow me, Severus," said Dumbledore, pleasantly. "Seats, everyone. Take a seat. As was explained to you upon your invitation here by one of us, the 12 of you are students we feel are at highest risk of being possessed by Voldemort or one of his higher Death Eaters." Many in the room shuddered at hearing the name. "Four of you shall work with each of us. Professor Snape will be working with Mister Weasley, Miss Bones, Mister Colin Creevy, and Miss Hundus. Working with myself will be Miss Granger, Mister Dennis Creevy, Miss Weasley, and Mister Hundus. Professor Delano shall instruct Mister Potter, Miss Lovegood, Mister Longbottom, and Miss Chang. Stand please." Twelve chairs scraped against the floor as the students stood up. Dumbledore waved his wand; the tables vanished and the chairs moved themselves to be in lines against 3 of the room's walls. He then gave a quick speech about just what Occlumency was and why they were learning it. He closed by saying, "Please rearrange yourselves into the groups in which I named you and we'll begin immediately."  
They all shuffled around and Harry found himself against the left wall with Neville, Cho, and Luna. Neville asked eagerly, "Why were you chosen? Snape said that.because of my parents and because I'm friends with you, Harry, it might be me, and I'd have to learn to defend myself. What about the rest of you?"  
Cho sniffed angrily. "They think I'm emotionally fragile! And a little unstable just because I cry a little bit."  
Harry scoffed. "They aren't crazy. You cry all the time. You are fragile. And you're a brat."  
Neville nodded and Cho turned away angrily from both of them.  
Professor Delano said, "Who's first?"  
"Me," said Luna, dreamily.  
"Okay. I'm going to try to break into your mind. You must defend yourself by any means necessary. On three. 1.2.3! Legilimens!"  
It was astonishing. Luna made the slightest gesture with her wand and seemed to say something; apparently she was under no stress at all. Professor Delano crumpled to the floor, sobbing.  
Luna looked down at Professor Delano and said, "You hung out with Lily a lot, didn't you? Best friends? Isn't that right? You can't look at him because you miss Lilly and James." She turned to face the rest of them and she stared directly at Harry. "You make her sad. That's why she's crying. Neville, I'm here because Professor Delano thinks I have a weak mind." She put out a hand to help her to her feet.  
Delano ceased crying, and the students and teachers in the other groups went back to their work. "Who's next?"  
None of them volunteered.  
"You." She stared directly at Harry. "Come here, now." Harry came and stood about a yard in front of her. "Do whatever it takes to disarm me or defend yourself. On three. 1.2.3.Legilimens!"  
Harry saw images flickering through his mind like some insane movie: Sirius was taunting his cousin as he fell back through the veil. Marietta came into Dumbledore's office and took her hands from her face to reveal the word SNEAK inscribed there. Ron, Hermione, and Cho were tied up at the bottom of the lake. Ripper was chasing him up a tree. The Dursleys were burning his letters from Hogwarts. His parents' echoes were speaking to him at the graveyard after the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Luna's intense eyes were staring at him, first on the train, then in the forest, then when they were at the Department of Mysteries.NO! He thought desperately. Get out of my head! You're worse than Snape ever was! LEAVE!  
Suddenly Harry found himself back in the potions classroom, he was sitting rather painfully on the floor with his leg at an odd angle as though he had fallen.  
Professor Delano helped him up. She spoke quietly so none of the others could hear. "You were shouting. Professor Snape warned me you did that sometimes. Something about eyes. And me getting out of your head. You also performed the jelly-legs jinx not a long while back, missed me but hit Professor Snape."  
Harry couldn't help grinning.  
"You must fight me with your mind, then you won't have to use your wand. Block me out. Clear your head." She raised her voice again, "Next!"  
Cho stood forward. Her attempt ended with tears and Professor Delano whispered quietly for a few moments before telling her to sit down and calling her next victim.  
Neville's face paled. "Just how bad is this going to be, Harry?"  
"You remember the Dementors?"  
"Uh-huh."  
"Kinda like that."  
"I said 'next', Mr. Longbottom. What part of that didn't you understand?"  
"Oh no." moaned Neville. He stood and stared squarely at Delano. She shouted the spells and Harry watched him closely. He bit his lip 'til it bled and he appeared to be concentrating so hard that he was sweating. He was turning as white as the sheets in the hospital. But he didn't fall, "R- riddikulus! Riddikulus! RIDDIKULUS!" The last time, it came out like an angry bellow.  
The mind connection between them broke. Neville stopped sweating, sighed, and stood a little taller, though still dreadfully pale.  
Though obviously not under quite the strain that Neville had endured, the same sort of effects could be seen on Delano. "Well done. Let's take a break and we'll begin again." She conjured a pitcher of water and five glasses. "What made you choose the spell for vanishing Boggarts?"  
"The memories.they were awful. Kind of like when a Boggart comes. A Boggart looks like what you fear and to get rid of it you've got to laugh. To not find it funny. I thought the same thing might apply here."  
"That was a very good idea."  
Harry watched the other groups as he drank. Ron and Hermione were both starting their turns. Hermione shrieked and crashed backwards, caught by Dennis and Marcus. Ron screamed and shouted several random spells.  
Hardly anyone seemed to fare better. Thrice more they each took a turn, and when it wasn't his turn Harry watched another of his friends. Harry himself fared sometimes better sometimes worse but all of it was difficult and at the end he always saw Luna's eyes.  
Luna seemed to stop Delano every time fairly early, and at least twice appeared to have broken into her memories. Neville's turn went about the same every time as it had the first time. Cho seemed to be doing the worst in their group, though did much better on her last try.  
When they were released at last, Harry was exhausted and in no mood to listen to Luna who was in an unusually talkative mood and had chosen his as the victim for her chatter. 


	16. In the Library

"Delano doesn't really hate you, you know. But your mum was her only friend. She sees your eyes and she sees your mum. She sees the rest of you; your face, your hair, and she see your dad. When your mum started spending time with your dad she had less time to spend with Professor Delano and her other friends."  
Harry thought, why is it that I make girls cry?  
Luna continued. "Did you see Ginny? She's good. She can defend herself better than you can with her mind. She's strong; she was only invited to the meeting because she was considered at risk from classified reasons I wasn't allowed to know. Do you know?"  
He said it without thinking, "Yes."  
"Really? Like what?"  
"Like when in her second year she." he stopped abruptly. "It's none of your business."  
"Okay. Neville seemed to do well too. But I can understand that. He's got something driving him to do well. I think it's got something to do with whatever propelled him forward in the D.A. last year. When's the next meeting?"  
This was the closest thing to a normal conversation he'd ever heard from Luna. "I don't know."  
"Soon I hope. We're going to need it. Ravenclaw's this way." She wandered off and Harry continued on in the direction of Gryffindor Tower (after pausing long enough for the other Gryffindors to catch up to him). The Creevy brothers walked off to one side, talking quietly. Marcus had gone to walk his sister back to the Slytherin house.  
Harry spoke with the remaining Gryffindors. "We've got to figure out when the first D.A. meeting is going to be. Everybody's been asking."  
Ron yawned, "Sure. But not tonight. You weren't exaggerating about these lessons, Harry. Ugh! Snape looking at my memories! The only thing worse was that one time I broke in and saw his memories. He didn't have a happy childhood."  
"I know," said Harry.  
"How do you know?" asked Ron.  
"Just trust me on this. I know all the stories from when my dad and Sirius were at school with him. It's not completely his fault he's a git."  
"But-"  
"Just trust me on this and don't make me explain it. Please, Ron?"  
"Yeah. All right, buddy. No more questions."  
"We'll discuss the D.A. tomorrow. I don't think any of us is up to it after that ordeal."  
They were at the stairs for the dormitories when Harry said, "Oh. I found out why Delano hates me."  
"Why?"  
"I look like my parents. Apparently I make her cry. She and my mum were friends."  
"Oh."  
"Yeah. Goodnight, Hermione."  
"Goodnight, Harry, Ron." **********************************  
Harry watched the ceiling overhead as he ate his lunch; it was stormy and gray, obviously raining outside. The weather would be too unpleasant to bother going outside, so Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Ginny entered the library to discuss the D.A. The bad weather, and a large project the 7th year students had been assigned, had caused the library to be overcrowded. There were people at every table, so they went for the least crowded table. It had a single student sitting there, reading the Quibbler, Luna Lovegood.  
Harry glanced at her and looked at Ginny with an is-it-safe-to-say- anything-about-the-D.A.-with-her-sitting-here expression, after all, Ginny knew Luna best.  
"Yeah, she's fine. She's not going to listen to us," Ginny said quietly.  
"Alright." Harry nodded. They sat down and began to discuss just what to do.  
"We've definitely got to have the D.A. this year."  
"We need to make a list of everybody who was in the D.A. last year minus whoever graduated."  
"Right."  
"Crud, I don't have anything to write on," said Harry.  
"Here," Hermione handed him some parchment, a quill, and ink.  
They made the list. "22."  
"Okay. I had some ideas. I was thinking of expanding the D.A. We could make it, I don't know, like a.a."  
"A miniature version of the Order?" prompted Harry.  
"Yes! I've been thinking about it and we even have the perfect person to spy on the Slytherins. You know that first year boy. Marcus? His sister."  
"I dunno. She is in Slytherin."  
"That's what makes her a good spy. Ambitious. If we can get her to believe in our cause then we've got a shot at a good way to get information because she'll do anything to get the info."  
"Her brother did say that if she wanted to win the Quiditch cup she wouldn't hesitate in jinxing brooms or breaking legs."  
"See?"  
"I still don't know."  
"Well think about it. We even have a good headquarters. The Shrieking Shack."  
"Maybe."  
"Look let's meet down at the Whomping Willow at 6 o'clock tonight."  
"Deal."  
"I've got to go do my homework."  
"Well why do you have to leave?" asked Ron.  
"I've got to go get my other books."  
"I'll come with you, Hermione," Ron volunteered. 


	17. The Unexpected

That night, Harry and Ron left the common room at about quarter to six. Ginny and Hermione had left earlier together, and Neville had gone out just a little while before. They didn't want to seem too suspicious, all leaving at once. Harry and Ron reached the Whomping Willow just a few minutes after six, and when they got there Hermione, Ginny, and Neville were already waiting.  
They were just getting ready to freeze the tree so they could enter the secret passage when a voice behind Harry declared, "I'm coming too."  
They turned around and saw Luna standing there with what looked to be a nearly lucid face. "What did you say?" asked Harry. He turned from Luna and glared at Ginny; assuming that she had told Luna they'd be here.  
Ginny shook her head slightly, obviously saying without words "I didn't tell her."  
"I said that I was coming with you. I think you're right. Dumbledore's Army should follow the same example of the Order of the Phoenix. It seems right. Lead. I'll follow." She had locked eyes with Harry and he stood dumb a few seconds after she finished speaking, though she didn't notice.  
"Er, uh, how did you.?" he asked hopelessly.  
"I was sitting at the same table with you in the library."  
"But the Order?"  
"You didn't mention it by name but I've known about that for a while now. It was obvious. Are we leaving yet? I'd love to see this place?"  
Harry was still held captive by her eyes, the eyes that had haunted him throughout the summer, and only came out of his daze when Ron stomped on his foot and hissed, "Now what are we supposed to do?"  
"I guess we bring her with us," said Harry.  
"We can't do that!" hissed Hermione.  
"I think Loony's off her rocker," whispered Ron.  
"I think we can trust her," Harry said firmly. He looked at Ginny and Neville to back him up.  
Neville shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me. I think she's harmless. Well maybe not harmless considering what she did to Malfoy on the train.." he said quietly.  
"She's not dumb. Luna may be different but she isn't dumb," Ginny said simply.  
Harry knew that Ginny was going to argue with Ron and Hermione for a while yet and they didn't have time to waste. "Luna, follow me." He led the way in to the tree and down into the tunnel to the Shrieking Shack. 


	18. Inside the Shrieking Shack

Harry looked around the inside of the Shrieking Shack. Nothing had changed.  
The chairs were still broken; everything in the bedroom was in tatters. Hermione pointed her wand at one of the chairs and said, "Reparo!" She sat down in the repaired chair. Ginny followed her example and did the same. Harry, Ron, and Neville sat down on the ruined bed.  
Luna made herself comfortable sitting cross-legged on the floor.  
Nobody exactly knew where to start.  
Ginny broke the silence, "Okay, Luna, how much do you know?"  
"Quite a bit. You'd be surprised what people will say when they don't think you pay attention."  
"Well, we're paying attention. Start talking. Remember, this is the Shrieking Shack, considered the most haunted building in all Britain. No one will find it odd if you started to scream," warned Hermione, there was a threat clearly in her voice and eyes.  
"It's obvious that Dumbledore knows more than the Ministry. So he's in charge, whether they'll recognize it or not. But Dumbledore's had supporters since before the Ministry decided to accept the truth." She rearranged her Butterbeer cap necklace before continuing. "I was in the hallway tying my shoe when I heard Dumbledore telling McGonagall to keep in contact with the guard and telling Professor Snape to check out a place called Borgin and Burkes. I don't know where that is but I know its not in Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley." She adjusted her wand, which was in its customary spot behind her ear. She was obviously in no rush. "The three of you," her eyes turned to Ron, Harry, and then Hermione, "have been in league with him for ages. Ginny has too, I think, just not quite so deeply. Neville hasn't been directly involved until recently, I think. And the teachers have been somewhat involved too, some more than others. Snape is definitely close with Dumbledore though that's been obvious for some time now. McGonagall too. I know Dumbledore didn't put your name in the Goblet of Fire two years ago, I don't think he'd put you in harm's way. That man, Hagrid, he's involved too; I'm sure of it. He has a fondness for you, Harry; but then again, doesn't everybody?" She didn't wait for an answer. "True I suppose Delano doesn't but that's because of your parents. You're really quite a controversial topic in the Ravenclaw common room, you know." This time she did stop and her eyes rested on Harry, expecting him to answer.  
"I- I- I didn't know that," he said.  
"Oh yes," her pale eyes seemed brighter. "When you were dating Cho last year you should have heard the discussions."  
"Did you take part in these discussions?" asked Ginny, interested.  
"Oh no, they didn't even know I was listening. No one pays me any attention. Some sided with you and said that Cho really was too much of a crybaby and were glad the two of you broke up." There was something of a smile playing on her lips, but it vanished quickly. "Others said that you weren't nearly sensitive enough to her. The ones that decided you weren't sensitive fancied Roger Davies and Cedric Diggory. Or were angry about Gryffindor beating Ravenclaw at Quiditch."  
"Can we get back to the topic at hand?" asked Hermione, impatiently.  
Harry rushed to agree, "Right. Back to what you know about Dumbledore."  
Luna tilted her head, "But I thought this was the topic at hand now. If you insist, unorthodox though his methods of running Hogwarts are, Dumbledore is a genius. He agrees with me about the Crumple-Horned Snorkacks. He handles everything with great skill. Rather reminds me of Professor Delano. I think they could be related. Something about her eyes. What are we going to do about the D.A.? I don't suppose you want everyone in it to know about this place."  
"That might not be a bad idea," Ginny said thoughtfully.  
"What do you mean?" asked Ron. "No little sister of mine is going to come here by herself. You could get hurt by the Whomping Willow! That tree nearly killed, Harry and I. You should go back to Gryffindor Tower right now."  
"Shut-up, Ron. You and Harry were twelve and you were flying a stolen car. I'm fifteen." She sat up a little taller. "I can take care of myself quite nicely."  
"Yeah, you're become more like Fred and George every day."  
"There's nothing wrong with that. Better to be like them than like Percy!" she said. Her ears were turning red as she got angrier. Ron's were too.  
"But you could be more like Bill or Charlie!"  
"That's not exactly safe either, you know! Curse-breaking or dealing with dragons. For your information I've been testing some of Fred and George's new pranks."  
"Not anymore you won't. I'm going to write to mum as soon as we get back. That's not safe. You are not going to do that anymore. Do you hear me? Ginny, are you li-" Suddenly there was no sound coming out of Ron's mouth even though it kept moving.  
Ginny appeared to be trying to shout back but no sound was coming out of her either.  
Luna yawned; her wand was in her hand. "We should be getting back now, shouldn't we?" She looked at Neville, Harry, and Hermione; obviously she was satisfied that no sound would be coming out of them.  
"Yeah. Right," said Neville as he got to his feet.  
Hermione's mouth was a tight line and resembled McGongall's when she was mad. "Come on, Ron, Ginny, I'll reverse that spell." She led them away. Neville started on the stairs behind them.  
Luna moved as if to follow the rest.  
"Hey, Luna? Can I ask you something?"  
"Sure." She stuck her wand back behind her ear.  
"Why do you play dumb all the time?"  
"I've never played dumb, Harry. I don't always answer questions and I'm usually quiet, but I never answer wrong on purpose or pretend not to know the answer when I do know it."  
"Well, I guess that isn't what I meant," he said.  
"What did you mean?"  
"I meant.well why don't you act like everybody else? You're smart and nobody knows it. You're even kind of funny. But because of how you act everybody just thinks you're weird." He glanced at her. Luna's hair was as disarrayed as it always was, her Butterbeer cap necklace was just as bizarre as her radish earrings. She looked batty.  
"I'm different, Harry. That's all. I walk to the beat of my own drum and what other people think or do just doesn't fit with my music."  
"I'm still not really understanding you."  
"I'll put it simply then: I say what I mean and I do what I want. I do what I want and I don't think about what others are going to say or think about it because frankly, their opinions don't mean anything to me."  
"They don't?"  
"No. It doesn't bother me that they call me Looney Lovegood because they're all twits anyway. Very narrow-minded. And so stupid. But that's why it doesn't bother me. I'm me. And I'm happy with who I am. If I died tomorrow, in the last minutes before my death I know I'd be dying happy because I'd know regrets."  
Harry had to sit down again. This was kind of intense. No regrets? Everybody had regrets. He had lots of regrets. "No regrets?"  
"Well, look at it this way. Every single instant of life up until right now has had some part in forming who you are. Even this conversation. Look at yourself, are you happy with who you are right now? Think about it. Because if you're happy with yourself right now then you can't possibly have any regrets. I like who I am, so I don't regret anything. Not even my mum's death. I miss her and wish I could have her with me now but do you think I'd be with my dad so much and spend so much time with him if my mum had lived."  
Harry had to think about this. Crazy as it sounded, Luna was making sense. He was still thinking when she got up and left. He followed her and found that the rest of his friends had been waiting while he and she had been talking. Together the six of them went back to Hogwarts.  
  
*********************************************************** AUTHOR'S NOTE: Luna's whole little philosophical discussion there may or not make any sense, it just happens to be one I agree with. Remember this is Luna: she doesn't have to make sense! Hehe. Alrighty, then. R&R. 


	19. The Proposal

The next day, they were in the common room speaking quietly and Hermione said, "You know, I think Luna would make a great spy."  
"She had a point," said Ron, on other side of Harry. "People kinda just ignore Looney and don't give a second thought to her listening in on their conversations."  
"Don't call her Looney. I don't think it'd be fair to use Luna like that," said Harry. "At least not unless she agreed to it. We still have to figure out what we're doing about the D.A."  
"Well maybe we should ask the other members. We'll talk to everybody from last year, except Cho and Marietta, and invite them to a meeting and we can decide there," said Hermione.  
"We invite Cho," Harry said firmly. "It's not fair to alienate her because of Marietta. Cho can decide whether or not she wants to come but she gets the invite just like everybody else. And don't look at me like that, Ron, I'm not interested in Cho, I'm just being fair."  
Ron blushed.  
They went over the list and divided it into four groups. Each of them took a list to the people that there would be a meeting that night in the Room of Requirement at 7 o'clock. The fourth list was for Ginny and it had all the 5th year and younger students that would be invited (though Dennis Creevey was the only one under 5th year).  
Harry took it on himself to deliver the message to Cho, he knew exactly what he wanted to say. Harry's list of people to find and talk to included Cho, Ernie, Justin, and Neville.  
The last person Harry found was Cho. She was skulking around outside the library. "Cho?" She ignored him. "Cho?" She continued to ignore him and walked away. "HEY, CHO!"  
She finally turned around. "What?"  
"Look," he said, thoroughly irrated at being ignored like that, "There's a meeting in the room of requirement tonight at 7 o'clock. Come if you want, bring Marietta even. I don't care. The others didn't want to invite you back but I thought it was only fair to give you the option."  
"I'm not coming back after what happened to Marietta last year! That Granger played a dirty trick. Marietta had to go to St. Mungos to get those removed!"  
"I didn't say you had to come. I'm giving you the option." He walked away.  
"I'm very happy with Roger Davies, thanks for asking!" she shouted, though she sounded like she was crying.  
Harry ignored her and walked away. She was never going to grow up.  
Just before seven o'clock Harry, Ron, and Hermione reached the room of requirement and the others followed in soon afterward. The room had shelves full of defense books, twenty something chairs, and a diagram of the Shrieking Shack in it.  
Harry looked questioningly at Ron and Hermione as he picked up the diagram, "Which one of you thought of this?"  
"Me," said Luna, as she walked in and took a seat.  
When everyone was there, Harry got up and stood in front to talk. "All right. It's not illegal this year now that Umbridge is gone," (there were several cries of "Boo, Umbridge!"), "But Dumbledore has recommended we don't really announce our meetings and we still hold them here. He also asked for an official name change. We can still call ourselves Dumbledore's Army, but he'd like the official name changed. If we make it the Defense Association, we can keep the same abbreviation. All in favor?"  
Everyone agreed.  
"Okay, so aside from personally learning to defend ourselves, does anybody object to turning this club into a kind of, order to fight against Voldemort? I mean I don't know if we'd be physically fighting him but you know gathering evidence on where he is and what's happening. What do you think?" he said all this rather quickly, unsure of what the response would be.  
  
^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ *  
  
Sorry this kinda ends on a cliffhanger. But I've got homework! And sorry it's been so long between chapters. Stupid writer's block. I'll update as soon as I can. Maybe tomorrow. 


	20. Answers

There was silence.  
Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione nervously.  
Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Neville stood and said quietly but firmly, "I'm with you all the way, Harry. He cost me my parents. Anything I can do against him, I will."  
Susan stood too. "He let those Death Eaters escape. Death Eaters killed my grandparents and uncle. He won't get away with this."  
Ginny leapt to her feet with a grim face. "I'm with you too, Harry. Would have killed my dad if it weren't for you. You can count on the Weasleys."  
"That's right," said Ron, strongly and adding more support.  
Hermione smiled, "Me too."  
Slowly, one by one, every last one of the others agreed.  
At last it was Terry who asked the question that was on everybody's mind, "What do you want us to do?"  
Hermione took the lead in conversation. "Well, we've got a headquarters already."  
"Here, right?" asked Zacharias.  
"Well.no. We were thinking more along the lines of.well." she trailed off, unsure of whether or not she should name the place.  
Zacharias smirked. "I knew you didn't have anywhere."  
"In fact we do have a place," Hermione said, irritated. "Here!" She picked up the diagram of the Shrieking Shack and used a charm to make it large enough for even those in the back to see. "Here, Ron, help me hold the other end so they could see it properly."  
"Impressive," admitted Zacharias. Several others agreed.  
"Where is this place?" asked Terry, standing and coming forward to get a better look at it.  
"You know the Whomping Willow on the grounds? There's a secret tunnel from there that leads to this house."  
"The Whomping Willow?" asked Dennis.  
"Are you crazy?" echoed his brother. "That thing'll kill us!"  
"Nearly," said Harry, grimly.  
Hermione propped the diagram against the wall. "Now, before everyone leaves you must sign this paper. You don't have to come back to the next meeting if you don't want to. You can stop being involved in this. But we don't need Death Eaters to find out about us. So everyone signs the paper."  
"What if we don't want to?"  
"Everyone signs," she repeated firmly. She took out a paper. "This is a contract saying that you won't snitch. You snitch and you'll be worse off than Marietta was last year."  
"I heard she had to go to St. Mungo's to get rid of those!" whispered Parvati.  
Hermione nodded in satisfaction. "This year, it'll be even worse than that for anybody who snitches. I promise you." Hermione, Ron, Neville, Ginny, Harry, Susan, and Luna were the first to sign and the rest followed and signed with utmost reluctance after Luna wandered up.  
"Does anybody not want to be a part of this?" asked Hermione cheerfully. "Speak now and leave."  
Harry looked around the room, at each of them. He knew from past experience that Hermione and the Weasleys would stick by him no matter what. And the set of Neville's jaw told Harry that he was determined to do this. Susan had a gleam in her eyes that Harry had never noticed before. The others seemed to have some sort of sense about them that Harry couldn't quite define. Eagerness and reluctance at the same time, and a sense of burden but burden of their own choice. "They're all staying," he said quietly. Harry wasn't sure how he was sensing this, but he knew he was right. His gaze lingered a moment on Luna, staring in her eyes from across the room until Hermione's words brought him back to reality.  
Hermione looked around. "I think you're right."  
"What about some more definite plans?"  
"We've got a general idea. We've thought of the perfect person to use as a spy in Slytherin. If she's willing to do it, that is. Haven't asked yet."  
"Who is it?" asked Hannah.  
"There's a first year, Muriel Hundus. Her twin brother's a Gryffindor. Look, I know you guys don't trust Slytherins but she'd make the ideal spy," explained Ron.  
"What makes you say that?"  
"Her brother Marcus explained it like this: Slytherins are ambitious, not evil; if we've got one ambitious toward our cause then nothing is going to stop her. Slytherins are a win-at-any-cost kind of lot and if she's on our side." Harry trailed off.  
"I think I see what you're getting at," said Colin.  
"All in favor of inviting Muriel and Marcus to join us?" asked Hermione, very business like.  
Everyone agreed.  
"You all still have the fake Galleons I gave you last year, right?" asked Hermione.  
All but one or two said they did.  
"Good. See, I made some extras last year and I should have just enough of them left to give one each to Muriel, Marcus, and replace the ones you lost. Keep them with you and that's how we'll notify you about the next meeting. It's getting late so we better get back to our houses."  
Everyone began to drift out and back into the hall. Harry stayed to roll up the diagram of the Shrieking Shack and put it up on one of the shelves. He noticed one person was still there.  
She had her customary "lost" look on her face but Luna's voice was very direct when she seemed to kind of float over to where Harry was and said, "You did the right thing inviting Cho earlier. Everyone was wondering if you'd invite her back here. Even though she didn't come you did the right thing."  
"How'd you know I invited her?"  
"I was standing near the library door. That comment about Roger Davies was spiteful. He really actually broke up with her yesterday if you didn't know."  
"I didn't know."  
"I think the meeting went well."  
"Yeah. I think so too."  
"You didn't tell them you wanted me to spy." She tilted her head. "Why? I know Hermione and Ron think I'd be a good spy if one was needed."  
"I didn't think it'd be right you to be used like that," murmured Harry.  
"You're a good guy." She blinked slowly. "I'm going back to Ravenclaw now." She wandered off.  
Harry found Ron and Hermione waiting for him, everyone else had already vanished from sight, even Luna.  
"What took you so long?" asked Ron.  
"Oh. I was talking to Luna."  
"Again?" There was something of a smile on Ron's lips.  
"I'm sure your conversations with Luna are very.interesting but we've really got to be getting back," said Hermione. "Curfew's coming soon." 


	21. Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall, Who's the S...

They'd just ended another Occlumency lesson and Luna chattered away. Harry wondered just why it was that she was so talkative after these lessons as everyone walked back to their houses. He also wondered why out of everyone there she always chose him to chat to without fail.  
Luna tucked her wand back behind her ear. "You know, I wonder why they insist I take this class. I don't really mind it though. The only mind I can't break into is Dumbledore's, he had me try though. I'm quite skillful at Legilimency. Snape had a very unpleasant childhood. You don't really seem to be improving though. You need to learn how to clear your mind."  
"Can't. Too much to think about," Harry muttered.  
"Anybody can shut their mind. You just have to not think. Or rather, shut out all your emotions."  
"How do you not think?" he asked.  
"It's easy. Just don't concentrate on anything. Let your mind drift in a detached kind of way. I'll help you sometime. It just takes a bit of concentration."  
"I thought you said not to concentrate!"  
"It's a delicate balance of concentrating on not concentrating. It makes perfect sense."  
"Not really."  
"Yes it does. I'll help you sometime. Ravenclaws that way." She wandered off in the direction of her own house and Harry realized he was farther off the path to Gryffindor than he'd realized. He backtracked and finally found his friends several corridors ahead of him. He wasn't sure exactly why, but he always felt better after talking to Luna. He wasn't sure just what it was about her. She was strange, but in a kind of refreshing sort of way. She always seemed to surprise him, the most surprising thing being how often she made sense. Like with the regrets. Harry was working harder at letting those things go and he felt like a whole new person. He was happy with who was. He couldn't let everything go. He'd never like the Dursleys for what they put him through, being a stranger in what should have been his own home too. And he'd never forget or stop being sad about Sirius. But he'd be able to move on and that in itself was like a burden off his shoulders. There were of course still plenty of other troubles that Harry had, but at least this was one less to deal with.  
When Harry reached the Tower he took out his homework and began to study. There'd be a potions test the next day and Snape would probably poison him.  
  
* * * * * * * * ** *  
  
Ginny approached Harry later in the week as he sat in the common, having just finished his Transfiguration assignment.  
"Hey, Harry." She sat down next to him.  
"Oh, hi, Ginny."  
"What are you working on?"  
"I just finished McGonagall's assignment. Brutal."  
"What about that?" She point to another piece of parchment that clearly wasn't part of his transfiguration essay.  
"A list of possible new recruits for the D.A. It's trickier now that the D.A.'s got a whole new purpose."  
"Oh."  
"Who would you say is the smartest student in your year?"  
"Luna," she answered promptly.  
"Luna? I know she's not stupid or anything, but . . . ."  
"Luna," she repeated firmly. "She may not get the top marks in the year but she is the smartest."  
"Well, a lot of what she says makes sense. Most of the time." He gave a wry smile, there were sometimes when Luna made absolutely no sense whatsoever.  
"Oh, that's why I came over here in the first place." She reached into the pocket of her robes and pulled out a plain envelope made of parchment. She handed it to Harry and he saw that it had a wax seal, imprinted on the blue wax were two "L"s. "It's from Luna. And certainly something she didn't want anybody else reading but you."  
"What makes you say that?" Sure it was a little strange to seal the letter like that when it was just going from one part of the school to another and a friend was delivering it. Okay, so it was more than a little strange.  
"I was curious, so tried to open once she was around the corner. I figured it wouldn't make a difference 'cause you wouldn't expect a sealed letter anyway. I was wrong. Burned myself." Since coming over toward Harry she had kept one hand firmly in her pocket. She took it out now and Harry saw her bandaged fingers.  
"Oh. Do they still sting?" He was slightly irritated at her for trying to read his mail, but he thought that depending on the situation he might have done the same thing.  
"A little."  
"Try essence of Murtlap. It works."  
"Okay, thanks." She didn't leave.  
"Did you want something else?" he asked.  
"So there's no chance of letting me read it?" she asked, without much hope.  
"Maybe later."  
"She said that immediately after you finished reading it, the letter would burst into flames."  
The suspense was building; he had to know why this letter had been so carefully guarded. "Well, then maybe I'll tell you what it said. But first I've got to know what it says."  
"All right. I've got to now anyway. I'm supposed to be helping Colin with his homework. He's having trouble with Charms. Again." She shook her head and left.  
Harry tore open the letter.  
  
Harry,  
I offered to help you with your concentration problems. Offer still stands. If you want help, come to McGonagall's room tomorrow night, 7:00 o'clock. Dumbledore and McGonagall approved it. If you're wondering about the reason I sealed and hexed this letter (I'm sure Ginny tried to open it) it's because I know you don't like to admit when you need help and you don't want others to know when you do admit it. You're afraid of being weak. Don't deny it because I know it's true. I'm sure Ginny's itching to know what's in the letter and I'm sure you didn't let her see it. It's up to you if you want to tell her. Or Ron or Hermione if they want help too. This letter will self-destruct after you read my name.  
  
Luna Lovegood  
  
True, to the words, as soon as Harry had read "Luna Lovegood" the paper burned but the flames never felt warm against his fingers. Even the ashes disappeared.  
He saw Ginny looking at him expectantly from across the room. Harry wasn't sure why, but he shook his head. He wasn't going to tell her.  
She shrugged and went back to helping Colin. 


	22. Time for Tutoring

Harry met Luna the next night in McGonagall's room at exactly seven o'clock. He saw her standing at McGonagall's desk with a cloth bag, looking more alert than she usually did.  
"Good. You're here." She looked at him a moment. "You were too embarrassed to tell your friends that you were getting help, otherwise I know they'd be here. Ron and Hermione need work nearly as much as you and even though Ginny's really good at Occlumency she'd be more than glad to help. You didn't tell them."  
"No, I didn't," he said, sounding lame, pathetic, and defensive even to his own ears.  
"Sit. Front desk there." She upended the bag and out poured quills, ink, a sheet of parchment, and a photograph of a phoenix.  
"What's all this for? What am I supposed to write?"  
"Anything. Just say, 'Begin'."  
"Begin?" Harry asked, he didn't have time to say anything else because immediately the quill came to life in his hands and he began to write. And write. And write. He couldn't stop himself.  
"Finite incantem," Luna said lazily after about 5 minutes.  
Immediately, Harry stopped writing and Luna picked up his parchment. She began to murmur the first few lines of what he'd written. Harry listen carefully because he didn't know what he'd written, only that he had to write; the quill hadn't given him a choice in the matter. "This is stupid. What's she planning? Why do I have to write this? This is so stupid I'm glad I didn't tell the others. I'm wasting my time. Voldemort is out there. People's lives are in danger. I wish I knew what the Order was up to. I wish I could talk to Sirius but I'll never see him again." She trailed off and looked Harry in the eyes.  
Her unwavering gaze held him until she took her wand from behind her ear and pointed it at the parchment and said, "Niveus." The parchment went blank. "Not bad for a first attempt. Again."  
"Why?"  
"What part of 'again' don't you understand?" Her eyes were like daggers.  
Harry held the quill and said, "Begin." He began to write uncontrollably again. This time Luna hardly glanced at the parchment before wiping it blank again with her wand and telling him to begin again.  
After the fifth time, she declared she was satisfied (but she didn't even read it). "Stand. I'm going to try to break into your mind. You will defend yourself. Hopefully after twenty-five minutes of writing everything you thought, your mind will be clear enough to withstand me. One. . . Two. . . Three. . . Legilimens!"  
Harry managed to keep her out for a second, but then memories of his flooded in. He saw Sirius die. He saw Dudley's fists flying at him while he stood helpless as Piers Polkiss held his arms behind his back. He saw Cedric lying in the cemetery. He saw Snape vanish potions of his. The memories reeled through his mind. He thought, "No.don't.I don't want her to see me like this. Being beaten up. Don't want anyone to see me weak. Stupefy!"  
The mind connection was broken, but Luna was still on her feet, not stunned. "Not bad. Not good, but not bad. You were able to fight with just your mind for a second but then your concentration broke and you let me in. Took you a while to get me out. You've got to have an empty mind. Don't think."  
"I can't just not think! I'm always thinking."  
She was quiet for a minute and said suddenly, "Quick. What's your favorite color?"  
"Red."  
"Favorite animal?"  
"Snake."  
"Favorite teacher?"  
"Lupin."  
"Least favorite teacher?"  
"Delano."  
"Who do you hate the most right now?"  
"You."  
"What do you fear?"  
"Being weak."  
"What's your favorite sport?"  
"Quiditch."  
"Now, think, did any of those answers surprise you?"  
Harry blinked. "Just about all of them. I just answered-"  
"Without thinking," she concluded for him. "See? I told you it was possible. If you would have been given time to think you might have said Snape was your least favorite teacher and you hate Voldemort most. But at the moment when I asked the questions your thoughts went to the teacher who puts you through your Occlumency lessons and can hardly look at you without crying. And you might have said you hated Voldemort most."  
Harry blushed. Had he really said he hated her? She was strange, and his hand still hurt from so much writing and he certainly hated having his mind broken into but she was trying to help. She wasn't a bad person.  
"You've got to learn to focus. Focus."  
"I can't. There's just too much going on in the world. And then there's the Pr-" There was no need for her to know about that.  
"I know about the Prophecy, Harry. Did you forget I went to the Department of Mysteries with you last year? True I don't know everything about the Prophecy or what it said but you wrote some of your worries about it on the parchment during your forced-write."  
"How did you get me to write like that?"  
"This quill. It's my own invention. A free-write is when someone just sits down and writes whatever comes into their head, this is like a free- write but you didn't have a choice in the matter. There's a connection between your mind and your hand and the quill. The spell in the quill causes your hand to print out the words of whatever you're thinking. It's rather difficult to explain."  
"You developed this?"  
"Yes."  
"Ginny was right about how smart you are."  
"I think that's a compliment. Thank you." She was quiet a moment, then she shouted, "Legilimens!"  
Harry didn't let her into his mind for a good three seconds. He even thought he saw Luna standing next to a man with dishwater blonde hair, wearing black and crying, but then his own memories came reeling at him again but not for long. Luna broke the mind connection.  
She sighed. "I was hoping that by catching you off guard you wouldn't be thinking."  
"It seemed to help a little."  
"But not enough. You have to be able to defend yourself better than that. I've got one other method to try but if you want to continue we'll save that for next week. It's getting too late now."  
"Okay. What's the other method?"  
"See this picture?" She held up the photo of the phoenix. "I think, if you concentrate on it long enough that you know it by heart, and you can summon up the image in your mind's eye when someone is trying to use Legilimency on you, you should be able to fend them off."  
"That sounds good. Thanks, Luna. Same time next week?"  
"If you want."  
"Thanks."  
Harry helped her put her things away and then he went back to Gryffindor Tower.  
Ron approached Harry went he got back to the common room. "Where you been? We were supposed to work on our Divination homework."  
"I'm sorry, Ron. I forgot."  
"Where were you?" he asked.  
Harry saw that Ginny was just a few paces away, listening. "I was in McGonagall's room getting tutored. I've been having trouble in class." This wasn't exactly a lie, he was getting tutored in McGonagall's room, but it was Occlumency instead of Transfiguration.  
"You seemed to be doing fine to me. Why not just ask Hermione for help?"  
"Because I didn't want to bother her. Besides I needed a lot of help; I still need help." He saw Ginny roll her eyes and stalk off like an angry cat.  
"You'd probably be better off asking Hermione for help."  
"Could you not tell her about me being tutored? She might have her feelings kind of hurt that I didn't go to her." That was true too.  
"Alright. If you say so." Ron shrugged. "Now will you please help me think of more ways to die? Otherwise I'll never finish my divination assignment." 


	23. Learn to Breathe, Man!

(This chapter is dedicated to my religion teacher, Mr. P, how loves to have us meditate in class!)  
  
Harry had a very full schedule: Quiditch practice 3 nights a week, 1 night for homework, Occlumency 1 night a week, lessons with Luna 1 night a week, and D.A. meetings 1 night a week. So the weeks slipped from September to mid-October. Before D.A. meetings Harry, Ron, Neville, Ginny, and Luna went in and fixed up the Shrieking Shack bit by bit. They repaired furniture, scourged the whole house, and added whatever they thought necessary (some desks, chairs, books, bookshelves, etc.). In general they made it livable. At Luna's suggestion they put up a corkboard for announcements. Hermione charmed the door from the tunnel to only unlock with the password "dragon-fire". The other doors of the house were locked as well and could not be opened from the inside, each with a different password (passwords that only the six of them had and did not share with the others). They charmed the windows so that even though things would look the same from the outside but the members of the D.A. would not be able to see the village of Hogsmeade around. Harry and the other five had agreed that it would be best if the others in the D.A. didn't know where it was that they were when they were at the meetings; if the others knew they were in the Shrieking Shack they might use it to sneak out to Hogsmeade.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Harry entered McGonagall's room and saw that the desks had been pushed back out of the way, clearing a large empty space on the floor.  
"Sit," Luna commanded.  
"There's no chair."  
"Sit on the ground like I am."  
Harry sat cross-legged on the ground.  
"We didn't seem to be making much progress with the force-write spell or visualization technique so I thought we'd try something new to clear your mind. New for you anyway: meditation. I meditate every night."  
"I don't meditate." It sounded like a waste of time.  
"But you need to learn to," she persisted. "I'll walk you through it. Close your eyes. Breathe. I said 'breathe'! Deep breaths. Focus on your breathing."  
Harry felt extremely stupid, but he did as he was told. His eyes shut, he breathed. It was strange, he though, Luna seemed more . . . human during these extra Occlumency lessons. She didn't seem so dazed; she was very commanding, almost . . . bossy.  
"Just your breathing. Slow and rhythmic. Deep breathing. Let your shoulders sad. Release tension from your neck. Roll your head in circles. Concentrate on your breathing. Let your worries go and focus. Slow and rhythmic breathing. See the clouds drifting through the sky, moving little by little. The wind is rippling through the grass of the Quiditch pitch, moving it all, blade by blade. Each breath it like the wind stirring a single blade of grass. Then, short, flat, green grass that bends and crunches when you walk on it. Concentrate on your breathing; slow deep breaths. In and out. What are you thinking?"  
"Nothing," he answered truthfully.  
"Good. You're relaxed and your mind is clear. Open your eyes. Stand up."  
Harry did as he was told.  
"Put away your wand."  
Harry hesitated.  
"Put it away."  
He dropped it on the nearest table.  
"You're tensing up again. Relax, otherwise your mind is going to feed me everything you fear or don't want me to know about."  
He began to focus on his breathing again.  
"Excellent. When I try to break into your mind you must defend yourself. Don't let me in."  
"What about my-"  
"You don't need it. This is a battle of will. Do you want to keep me out of your mind more than I want in? Do you want to keep Voldemort out more than he wants to get in?"  
"Yeah!"  
"Prove it. 1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . Legilimens!"  
Harry concentrated and focused all his energy on keeping his mind free. Nobody was going to push him around. He willed his mind to remain free. The memories didn't come. Luna broke the mind connection and smiled.  
"I think you're finally getting the knack of this."  
"Thanks."  
"You can be done for tonight."  
"I'll help you put the furniture back where it belongs."  
"Don't bother." She waved her wand carelessly in a slow circle. The furniture rearranged itself to where it normally was.  
"How . . .?"  
"We've all got our own tricks and secrets."  
Harry could have sworn he saw her wink.  
"Go back to your friends, I'll see you at the next D.A. meeting."  
"Okay."  
  
* * * * *  
  
When Harry got back to the common room Ron approached him immediately. His voice was rather curt. "How was your lesson with McGonagall? Any progress?"  
"Actually, yeah," he said, much relieved. "Today was a major breakthrough."  
"Good." He didn't sound like he meant it. "Hermione's been wondering where you've been going every week."  
That explained the odd tone. Ron didn't like lying to Hermione if he could avoid it. For that matter, Harry didn't like lying to her either. "Ron-"  
"I know you weren't with McGonagall. I haven't seen you have any trouble in her class. Besides that, all the teachers were at a meeting tonight. All of them."  
Only one word came to Harry's mind. He said it. "Oh."  
"So what's the deal, Harry? Do you have a girlfriend in another house that you didn't want us to know about or something? I'm grasping at straws here, help me out."  
"I'm sorry, Ron. Where's Hermione? I'll tell you both together. We might as well get Ginny too." They found the girls and sat down. "I'm really sorry, mates. I should have told you the whole truth, but I guess was just too embarrassed. Two years and hardly any progress..." he trailed off.  
"What are you saying, Harry?" asked Hermione.  
"Luna noticed my trouble in Occlumency. So she asked if I wanted t help. I didn't tell you, any of you," he met Ginny's eyes briefly, "because I was embarrassed, especially after I wasn't making much progress. McGonagall let us meet in her room every week. But tonight, Luna suggested I try meditating to clear my mind. See, Snape always told me to clear my mind but he never explained how, but now I can and that's really the first step, I guess."  
Hermione blinked. "So that's the reason you didn't ask me for help. I didn't believe for one minute that you thought I was too busy. I've always been busy but always helped you anyway." She took a deep breath before continuing, "Luna's better at Occlumency than me. I understand."  
"It's not just that, she's a Legilimensist. Whoever was going to help me had to be a Legilimensist, or there'd be no way I could practice."  
"I understand."  
Harry sighed internally, Hermione understood but it still hurt her that she couldn't help.  
Ron frowned.  
"What the matter? Are you mad at me? I said I was sorry," said Harry.  
"No. I just kinda like the idea of you having a secret girlfriend or something. Lessons are boring. But since it's Looney Lovegood it's obvious there's nothing going on." He sounded rather disappointed.  
Ginny asked, "What makes you say that? I don't think the two of them would be a bad pair." She eyed Harry.  
It took Harry a minute to understand Ginny. "Me and Luna?" he asked in disbelief. Had this been Ginny's theory about him over the summer? "No, no, no!" He blushed. Luna was a very nice person but.it didn't matter. He had more important things to think about this year than dating.  
Ginny just shrugged. "If you say so."  
"Are you going to keep on with the extra lessons, Harry?"  
"I've got to. I'm only just making progress. I can't stop now. But you can all join if you want. Luna didn't invite you 'cause she knew I didn't want to say anything. She told me to invite you guys when I was comfortable when tell you I was getting extra help in the first place." 


	24. GreenEyed Brunette and a Meeting in the ...

That Sunday was the next D.A. meeting. It was also the first meeting they'd have in the Shrieking Shack. The previous week's meeting Hermione had assigned everyone a time for when to arrive at Headquarters. It'd look very suspicious if there were so many people at the Whomping Willow at once.  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione got there first. The next group was Ginny, Neville, and Luna. The rest came in ones and twos. By four o'clock everyone was there.  
"I know this is earlier than we normally meet and I know that some of us have been here for quite sometime, but it was necessary because otherwise people who have seen us coming here. Most people don't normally hang around the Whomping Willow. Before we get started: any injuries from the tree?" asked Hermione.  
No injuries.  
She continued. "Okay, then. Let's begin. This is our Headquarters. We aren't going to meet in here every week though. You know how long it took to get everyone here in a manner that didn't arouse suspicion. But this is our Headquarters. If anyone finds something out, something we all need to know, write it down and come tack it up on the bulletin board. This is more private than the Room of Requirement because nobody can get in here without the password. And unless somebody blabs, and be sure something absolutely dreadful will happen if you do, nobody else will know about this place. Now, we've got to keep everything official. Does anyone object to this being our official headquarters?"  
No one objected.  
"Good. That's settled. Then are there any questions?" she asked.  
"Yeah, why do you talk so much, Granger?" asked Zacharias. "I thought Potter was in charge of this club."  
"It's not a club, it's an organization!" she said, heatedly. "Besides, Harry's got enough to deal with and I'm not going to bother explaining it to you."  
"Of course he's got enough to deal with when he breaks school rules so much. Didn't he fly off campus last year and end up at the Department of Mysteries?"  
"Yes, and he came face to face with Voldemort and he lost someone he cares about very much, so just shut your trap!" Hermione immediately regretted her words.  
"Who'd he lose? His parents are already dead. Was it was one of those Muggles you live with?" He directed the question at Harry.  
Harry glared. "It was my godfather. Sirius Black. He died fighting a Death Eater." He died because he was being cocky. He was making a joke out of it and he lost his balance. But that's just the way Sirius was. He made a joke out of everything in life.  
"Sirius Black. He was sent to Azkaban for murder. He was part of the Dark Side."  
"He was NOT!" Harry drew is wand before he'd realized it; Hermione and Ron standing on either side of him had done the same, so had Ginny and Neville.  
Zacharias glowered. "Loading the odds against me. 5 on 1 is not fair!"  
Nobody noticed Luna wander between them and say gently, "Expelliarmus." All 6 wands leapt into her outstretched hand. "Sit down."  
None of them moved and it seemed the room didn't breathe.  
"You should have listened to me," she said.  
"And why's that, Looney?" asked Zacharias.  
"You'll see."  
Suddenly, Zacharias gave a yell. "Ow! Ow! Ow!" His shoes were smoking.  
Harry started to laugh, that is, he laughed until a bucketful of mysteriously ended up down the back of his robes. "Yow! Cold! COLD!"  
Ron's legs folded beneath him and he couldn't get up.  
Hermione was propelled backwards by a mysterious force and couldn't get up from the wall.  
Luna looked at Ginny, and Neville and asked, "Do I have to make an example out of the three of you as well?"  
They sat down almost immediately.  
"Good." Luna glanced at Harry and Zacharias, and then at Ron and Hermione. "Are you all going to behave?" Zacharias's foot was still smoking, Harry still felt like there was ice all down his back, Hermione apparently couldn't move from where she was, and Ron couldn't stand up. They didn't really have a choice in the matter. "I asked if you were going to behave. You'd better answer."  
Ron nodded. Hermione sighed and gave a resigned answer in the affirmative. They were released from whatever magic bound them and they returned to their seats.  
"What about the two of you? Are you hotheads going to be civil to one another, or will it take more convincing?" Harry noticed to his horror than he began to sink into the ground. Zacharias started laugh at him until suddenly more smoke started to come out of his shoe. He couldn't get rid of the fire.  
"I give," he said. "My feet are burning, do something!"  
Harry had sunk about up to his knees. "Yeah, me too." Ha, he'd lasted longer than Zacharias had.  
"Good." She waved her wand carelessly and Harry found the ice gone and he was now standing on the floor rather than in it. He noted that Zacharias's feet had stopped smoking. "Now, I'll give the six of you back your wands after the meeting. Please continue, Hermione." Luna's glazed expression returned and she went back to her seat.  
"Well, er, let's get back to the task at hand. Are there any questions?"  
"Yeah. What type of information are you looking for? To be posted, I mean"  
"Rumors. Anything about the whereabouts of Voldemort, or what the Death Eaters are planning," answered Harry. "Or anyone you know for sure is involved with the Death Eaters. I've got some names and I saw them with my own eyes but the more we know the better. Make sure you've got a decent amount of evidence before you tack anything up on the wall though. If there's something urgent, absolutely cannot wait, use this mirror," Harry took the mirror out from where he'd been hiding it. "Just say 'Harry Potter' and my face will appear in the mirror and we can talk that way, I've got the other mirror that goes with it. It's like a Muggle walkie- talkie. But only do this in an emergency."  
"Wouldn't it make more sense to put the mirror in the room of requirement?" asked someone seated near the back.  
"Yeah, if there's an emergency it'll take longer to get here than it would to just look for you."  
Harry turned to Hermione and spoke in an undertone, "Can we do that? I mean, it wouldn't be in there unless someone entered expecting it to be there, right? I don't want to lose these . . ."  
"I know, Harry. I think we can. We can test it tomorrow to be sure," she whispered.  
"All right." He raised his voice and addressed the room. "Okay, I'll put it in the Room of Requirement. Remember, if you need to talk to me in an emergency and you can't find me, go to the room of requirement, you all know about how you have to pass by three times thinking of what you need? Concentrating on needing this mirror so you can talk to me. It'll be there."  
Hermione hissed, "Mention Muriel and Marcus!"  
"I'm going to turn the floor over to Hermione to talk to you about those spies we're interested in." Harry sat down abruptly.  
"Well, we've put it off for this long but now that headquarters has been established and we can communicate better I think we should talk to the Muriel and Marcus Hundus, who as we discussed a few weeks ago would probably make excellent spies. They have not been approached yet but we thought it best to see if there were any objections. Are there?"  
No objections.  
"Excellent. Who's going to talk to them?"  
"I think it should be Harry."  
"Harry."  
"Harry."  
"Hermione."  
"Harry."  
"Ginny."  
"Ginny."  
The votes were being called in the air until Hermione conjured a whistle to make the noise stop. "Okay, we are going to vote in an organized manner." The "or else" part was implied in her voice even though she didn't say it. "Nominations."  
Zacharias raised his hand, "I nominate Harry."  
"I second that," said Neville.  
Parvati stood up, " I nominate Hermione. She talks better sense than anybody."  
"I agree with Parvati," said Lavender.  
"Well I think it should be Ginny," declared Colin.  
"Me too," agreed Dennis.  
Harry asked, "What about Luna? I think she'd be good at talking sense into them. She's very . . .convincing."  
Nobody seconded his nomination, but finally Ron said what most of them were already thinking. "Look, Harry, we want their help. We don't want them to be terrified of us. If we send Looney, I mean Luna, in to recruit them she might scare them. She definitely will scare them if she tries to pull another stunt like today." Ron unconsciously rubbed his knee.  
Hermione said briskly, "Fine, I'll second the nomination. Now if there are no more nominations we'll vote. All in favor of Luna Lovegood to entreat the Hundus twins to join?"  
Harry's hand went up but no one else's did.  
Luna gave Hermione back her wand and Hermione shot ribbon out of it spelling "LUNA 1" in the air.  
"All in favor of Ginny Weasley?"  
6 hands shot up in the air and Hermione wrote "GINNY 6" before asking, "All in favor Hermione Granger?"  
7 hands went in the air and she wrote "HERMIONE 7" before finally asking, "All in favor Harry Potter?"  
Harry held his breath as he silently counted the number of hands. He shut his eyes; he didn't like the number. When he opened his eyes he saw Hermione had written the final words, "HARRY 8".  
"Congratulations, Harry. You win," said Zacharias, with an ever so slight sneer.  
"I don't want to . . ." Harry started, before he realized it was useless. No backing out now. He didn't have time for this. "Meeting adjourned. We'll meet next week in the Room of Requirement at the usual time. I'll try to talk to the twins between now and then." He sighed; as if he didn't already have enough to do. It was getting dark outside by this time so they were able to leave in groups of 4 and 5 instead of 2 and 3. Harry had such a headache. "Hey, Hermione, you guys are leaving last, right?"  
"Yes," she said.  
"Great, I'm going to lie down upstairs. I've got a monster headache. Let me know before you go, okay?"  
"Sure thing, Harry."  
He felt dizzy and went upstairs a to a small bedroom and lay down on the bed. Maybe he could get Hermione to talk to Muriel and Marcus for him. He certainly didn't need anything else to do. He was busy enough already. He didn't have time to be sick. No time at all.  
Harry fell asleep with a hand on his head and a hand clutching his stomach. It was an hour later that Hermione came in. "Harry, time to go." She gently shook him awake. "We've got to get back to Hogwarts." He wasn't very responsive, so she helped him sit up. "You're burning up with fever!"  
"Huh? My head hurts," he said groggily.  
"Of course it does. You're sick. Can you stand? Ron! Luna! Come help me. Harry's ill."  
Ron and Luna came up the stairs. "What is it?"  
"He's burning up with fever. We've got to get him to the hospital wing." She conjured a stretcher and it floated beside her. Carefully, they placed Harry on the stretcher and it followed them out of the room.  
Harry was only dimly aware of what was going on. He vaguely recognized that they were going through the tunnel that went between the Shrieking Shack and the Whomping Willow. He heard his friend arguing.  
"The best thing for us to do is let Madam Pomfrey take care of him!" insisted Hermione.  
"I don't think so. I think I can help."  
"What can you do, Luna?" Hermione's voice had a terrible edge on it.  
"I'm not completely useless. I've get experience with Healings, you know."  
"No. I doubt it."  
"Really? Watch this." Harry couldn't see her but Luna must have done something because suddenly he heard a shout from Ron.  
"My nose is bleeding!" Ron exclaimed. Luna must have then done something because suddenly Ron said, "Hey. It stopped. Thanks."  
"Wow, you can cure a nosebleed," Hermione said sarcastically. "Injuries and illness are different."  
"Have it your way." Luna said no more on the subject, but instead directed her voice at the stretcher. "Harry, you've been running yourself ragged week after week. Rest. Ssh. You don't need to be killing yourself like this. The Quiditch team will survive without you. The D.A. is in good hands with Hermione. You're really getting the knack Occlumency now. Homework isn't so tough anymore. Classes are easy. Christmas break isn't that far away. You don't need to be so stressed. Just relax. You can handle this."  
Luna's voice was soothing. Harry felt better. And it seemed she was right. Nothing was wrong. Everything was going to be fine. Soothing. The last thing he heard before consciousness slipped from him was Ron whispering, "How'd you do that? He looks loads better already . . ."  
When they surfaced at the Whomping Willow, Harry woke. He wasn't quite feeling a hundred percent, but he was feeling well enough for Hermione to vanish the stretcher so he could walk to the hospital wing.  
Hermione did the speaking when they got to the hospital wing. "Madam Pomfrey, Harry's ill. He fainted. And he's got a fever. It was higher before and he was really pale."  
"He seems fine now. Probably stress related. But let the young man speak for himself. How do you feel, Mr. Potter?"  
"Better. Still a little dizzy."  
"But that's to be expected. Wait one moment." She bustled away and came back with an orange potion. Drink this. All of it. You'll feel better and you'll be good as new by morning. Drink it!"  
Harry did as he was told and handed back the bottle.  
"You may go now."  
"That's it?" Normally his visits to the hospital wing required a stayover.  
"Well is anyone else here sick?"  
"No."  
"Then, that's everything. Go! Take it easy the next few days. No extra curricular activities and no Quiditch until Wednesday."  
They left.  
Hermione had something of a pout on her face. "I'm going to the library."  
"We'll see you later, then," said Ron. When Hermione was out of earshot he asked, "Luna, how'd you make Harry better by just talking to him? He stopped shivering, he wasn't so pale anymore, and he looked healthier."  
"We've all got our secrets," she said, in her usual, dazed, almost singsong voice. "I'm not telling. I've really got to be going now. Research to do. I think I should talk to Hermione." She started off in the direction of the library.  
"I don't think that's a good idea!" called Ron.  
Luna ignored him.  
"I'll sure feel bad for Luna when she finds Hermione."  
"Don't be to sure about that. If it came down to a fight between the to of them . . ." Harry let out a whistle. "I don't know who'd win but it'd be intense."  
"You're right about that. Let's get back to the common room. Knowing them they might blow up the library if they started to fight."  
"Right."  
  
(Okay, I realize I made Hermione rather whiny and bratty in this chapter but I had good reasons. I kind of thought of Hermione's relationship to Harry as kind of mother or sister to him. But she's jealous because it seems like somebody's taking her place. I mean it was bad enough about the Occlumency lessons but add in this and it makes things about 10 times worse.) 


	25. Clashing of the Brains

Harry skipped Quiditch practice on Monday and Tuesday (as Madam Pomfrey had told him to). Harry noticed that Hermione was extremely moody on Monday and asked Ginny about it on Tuesday night in the common room.  
"You don't understand it, Harry?"  
"No, I don't. Would you mind explaining it?"  
"Since it's you . . ." She grinned. "Okay, Hermione feels threatened by Luna."  
"Threatened by her?"  
"Sure. Luna came in and took her job." She laughed at the puzzled look on Harry's face. "Harry, how does my mum treat you when you're with us?"  
"Really good. Like I'm her son too." He wondered where this was going.  
"Exactly. How does Hermione treat you?"  
"Like she's one of my best friends; which she is. Well, most of the time, but sometimes she treats me like she's my sister or my mum."  
"Yep. She's very protective of you. Always looking out for you and trying to help. But she feels like Luna's taking her job. Not only was Luna able to help you with your Occlumency lessons when Hermione couldn't but you didn't even ask Hermione for help. You always ask her. And you didn't tell her when somebody else was able to help you, as if you didn't trust her."  
"But I do trust her! Completely. I didn't want to hurt her feelings."  
Ginny shrugged. "Then there was the business with the Shrieking Shack. Luna smoothed things over, taking quick control of the situation. And Ron was telling me that when you were sick Luna made you better just by talking, but Hermione insisted you see Madam Pomfrey. He said this out of Herm's earshot of course."  
"Hermione just told all this to Lavender and Parvati? That doesn't sound like her at all."  
"Of course she didn't. These are my conclusions. Hermione was complaining about Luna to Parvati and Lavender. They got sick of listening and asked me to talk to her."  
"Have you?"  
"Not yet. Hermione doesn't like feeling useless, and that's how she feels right now. But there's nothing I can say that will really help her feel better. All I can do is offer an ear for her to vent to so that maybe she won't rant to Parvati and Lavender so much." She sighed. "It doesn't help that she misjudged Luna from the start. I don't blame her, Luna is a bit batty; but if she wasn't so smart in the first place she wouldn't have gotten into Ravenclaw, which is something Hermione missed in her judging her. Now Hermione's got to completely reevaluate her."  
"I see."  
"Is Hermione going to come to the lesson tomorrow?" asked Ginny.  
"I think so." He looked troubled.  
She patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Harry. I'll talk to her tonight and Ron and I'll run interference tomorrow. I'll go talk to her now."  
"Thanks, Gin." He gave a grateful smile and she went off in search of Hermione.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Harry got to McGonagall's room and discovered he'd been beaten. It was barely 7 o'clock but Ron, Ginny, Hermione, and Luna were already there. Luna looked completely at ease, sitting on top of McGonagall's desk as usual. Hermione was tense and her jaw was set in determination. Ginny and Ron were alert, ready to break up any fight that should starts.  
"Er, let's get started," Harry said.  
Ginny explained, "We've been discussing ways to clear our minds. That seems to be the biggest block when it comes to having trouble with Occlumency. People have trouble leaving their emotions out of things." She glanced at Hermione. "We've been trying to decide how to best start. Luna says there were a couple of different methods she tried with you, Harry, but she suggests we start with meditation since that seemed to be the most effective."  
Luna's gaze passed over each of them before she asked, "Ready? She paused, "Stand and come in front of the desks."  
Harry and Ginny did so without question, Ron looked puzzled but obeyed anyway. Only Hermione was reluctant, but she moved slowly from behind her desk and came to stand between the Weasleys.  
The desks and chairs scooted back some three or four feet. "Sit or lie down. Shut your eyes and breathe. Breathe. Focus only on your breathing. In and out. If you're particularly stressed, or angry, or otherwise upset, lie down." Harry opened his eyes slightly and saw that Hermione was the only one not lying down. "It'll help relieve tension if you're lying down. That puts you in a very relaxed state," she addressed no in particular, but Harry saw again out of the corner of his eye that Hermione was still sitting. Gritting her teeth, she lay down when Ginny tugged on her arm. "Breathe. Deep, slow breaths. Cleansing, rhythmic breathing. Eyes closed. No thoughts but the air coming and leaving your body. Deep breaths. Slow breaths. Good. Focus solely on your breathing. Shut your eyes, Hermione! I told you to focus!" Luna snapped uncharacteristically. Harry opened his eyes just enough to see Luna produce a scarf and bind it around Hermione's eyes. "It's charmed. Won't come off until I untie, so don't bother trying. Focus now. Breathing. In and out. Deep breaths."  
Harry wondered at Hermione's anger. She wasn't normally prone to it. Sure she was bossy, controlling, and nagging; but not usually bitter or angry. He couldn't be worried now though. He had to concentrate. The air tasted stale inside the classroom. He breathed.  
Hermione sat up. "This is stupid. If someone tries to break into our minds we are not going to be lying down concentrating on breathing."  
"Hermione, you are having enough trouble with Occlumency when you're stressed or under pressure. If you can manage it not under pressure then you can try under normal circumstances. Calm down," Luna's voice was sharp.  
Hermione made no reply. By now the others all had there eyes open and were watching the two of them.  
"Class is over for tonight," Luna said carelessly. "Now that we've got the basics of meditation, next time you should be able to get yourself down into a calm state sooner and without having to go through the preliminaries we used today."  
Hermione didn't move, it wouldn't have been smart of her to anyway; she still couldn't see. Ginny and Ron seemed to hover and want to wait for her but Hermione whispered something to her and she left reluctantly.  
Harry didn't get up, and hoped Hermione wouldn't realize he was still there.  
"Out, Harry," said Hermione and Luna both, as Luna knelt down to untie the scarf from around Hermione's head.  
Harry left slowly, hoping to find out what was going on. They didn't say anything until he was out of the room. He waited just outside the door, watching and listening through the crack.  
"I know what you want," Luna said complacently. "You want a fair shot at me."  
"What?"  
"You underestimated me and now you need to test and see just how much of an opponent I am. Whether or not you're better than me. The same's happened before. You come to see how I fit into the equation now that you realized you misjudged me before. Kalos kagathos."  
Hermione repeated the two last words. "Kalos kagathos. The outside reflects the inside. Greek isn't it?"  
"Yes. Normally you don't judge books by their covers but in my case you made an exception: I looked stupid, therefore I must be stupid."  
"I didn't mean to . . ." Hermione began.  
"It's alright. Opponents are less dangerous when they underestimate you. What'll it be? Dueling, flying, comparing test scores, or should I just try to break into your mind? You won't be happy until you test yourself against me."  
Harry opened the door a little more to see better and be ready to run in if anything happened.  
"Occlumency," Hermione said finally. Harry didn't know Luna's skills with a broom, but Hermione's weren't very good. Test scores Hermione had to know that she had higher than Luna. Dueling. . .Harry wasn't sure why she didn't choose that. "But on one condition."  
"What's that?"  
"Full force. You don't go easy on me."  
"Deal." Luna retreated until she stood a good 6 feet or so from Hermione. "On three. One. . ."  
Harry inched forward. He'd have to stop this.  
"Two. . ."  
He felt Ron's hand on one of his shoulders and Ginny's on the other. She whispered, "You've got to let them do this, Harry."  
"Three. . ."  
Harry nodded and the three of them watched in suspense.  
"Legilimens!" cried Luna.  
Hermione shouted something that Harry couldn't quite hear and a curse was flung at Luna but it missed her by nearly a foot.  
Sweat began to bead Hermione's head as they struggled. Soon Hermione was reduced to crying on the floor. Harry and Ginny were barely able to keep Ron from running inside to comfort Hermione or curse Luna; they held tight to the back of his robes. Harry held his breath and watched. Luna reached out a hand to help her stand. Harry couldn't hear the words, but whatever Luna was saying calmed Hermione down considerably.  
Harry and the Weasleys backed away quickly so Hermione and Luna wouldn't know they'd been listening. Something about Luna's face told Harry that they knew. Luna wandered off to Ravenclaw without a word. The Gryffindors returned to the common room. It seemed to Harry's eye that Hermione was somewhat humbled by her confrontation with Luna; not much of course but as though she'd lost several chess matches (of course chess was all she ever lost at).  
  
*  
  
*  
  
*  
  
* "Kalos kagathos" is (I'm pretty sure) a Greek term that means something along the lines of "your beauty on the outside reflects the beauty on the inside". We're reading the IOdyssey in my English class and it's a theme that keeps repeating. 


	26. At the Meeting with Ree

Hermione spoke with Muriel and Marcus and they were present at the next D.A. meeting.  
"So, you want us-more specifically me-to spy for you. Why?" Muriel's tone was confident, almost cocky.  
"Because we don't trust the Slytherins, a lot of them are working for you-know-who!" said somebody.  
Muriel shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm a Slytherin. You trust me?"  
"Muriel, your case is different. We know you're not a Death Eater."  
She grinned. "Prove it." She was certainly one sinister looking eleven year old; that was certain.  
"We can't," said Harry. "But we've got reason to believe you aren't working for him and we're trusting you on faith."  
"That's never really a smart thing to do in the world we live in," she chirped. "Why do you think Slytherins are evil? We're not evil. We're ambitious. The brains go to Ravenclaw. Real strength of character and loyalty go to Hufflepuff. The real reckless ones are in Gryffindor."  
The final statement was greeted with a crowd of protests (from the many Gryffindors), until Harry quieted them down. "Please continue."  
"Actually, it's your turn to talk," said Marcus. "Ree asked a question."  
"Well, we thought the two of you would make good spies because you can move around with the Slytherins without suspicion-at least Muriel can- and you can find out what's being plotted."  
"Maybe my question wasn't clearly. I'm not asking why you want me to do it; I'm asking why I should do it. It would put not only me in danger but my brother as well. And if word got out, possibly our family, which already suffered too much; though I'm sure you're already aware of that, being such a good detective, Potter."  
Things were getting tense.  
"Having lost someone I'd think you'd see the obvious reason for it," Harry tried to stay calm.  
"And the obvious reason for not wanting to lose anyone else closer to me," Muriel countered.  
"But what if you could save someone else the same pain?" asked Hermione.  
She shrugged. "You're not really making me care. I've got enough to do. If I don't care about something I won't do it."  
"He won't spare you just because you're a Slytherin. He won't spare you because you're a pureblood. He'll murder you and anyone close to you if you stand in his way. I realize that this isn't making you want to join us anymore but listen anyway. The only way to be sure that he doesn't hurt anyone ever again is to stop him. To stop him we've got to know what he's up to. I know some of the Slytherins are Death Eaters. In some cases I even know which Slytherins. But we need more information and that's where you come in. All we need from you is information. You don't have to be anymore involved than that," said Harry.  
"Still not caring. I can take care of myself."  
"Let's you and I and your brother and Harry have a little chat." Hermione stood up. The four of them went to a remote corner of the room and Hermione spoke quietly, "Well, what if I told you I had proof that you were planning to sabotage Gryffindor's game versus Hufflepuff scheduled for next Saturday?"  
Muriel's eyes bulged slightly, but she recovered instantly. "Where's this 'proof'?"  
Hermione took out some various pieces of parchment. "Curses to hex brooms. The schedules of various Gryffindor players. Different injuries you can inflict upon them. It's all here in your handwriting. Unless you want everyone in the room as well as the entire Gryffindor team, Professor McGonagall, Professor Dumbledore, and Madam Hooch to know about your little scheme: I suspect you'll be changing your mind."  
"Where did you get those?"  
"I have my sources. Will both of you be helping us?" Hermione smiled smugly.  
"At your service. But be prepared, I'll find a way to match blackmail with blackmail," Muriel said.  
"Ree's right. That is blackmail. And it's wrong, but I think you guys are right. I'll help any way that I can." Marcus went and sat by the Creevy brothers.  
Muriel made her statement to the rest of the D.A. members plain and simple, "I'll help all of you and be your spy."  
"Good. Sign this paper. You breathe a word of what goes on here and you'll deeply regret it," said Hermione, shoving the parchment of names as well as a quill and ink, at Muriel.  
Muriel glared and signed. So did her brother.  
Harry heard Muriel whisper to Hermione, "You're good, Prefect, but I'm better. You can count on it."  
"We'll see about that. In the meantime, if anything happens to the Gryffindors before the game I'm holding you personally responsible," said Hermione cheerfully as she rolled up the parchment.  
Harry looked around, "If there's no more business, then, this meeting is over." On the way back to the common room, he and Ron conversed quietly with Hermione. "How'd you do that?"  
"Get the proof? Well, I thought she might need a little persuading. I remembered what you said about her Quiditch ambitions and figured it was the perfect way to blackmail her," said Hermione.  
Ron asked, "How did you get the papers?"  
Hermione shrugged. "Oh. I just coerced her brother into giving me parchments with her writing on them. Some of them did talk about Quiditch, and some of them about curses but none of them were actually about her sabotaging Gryffindor."  
"You devious little imp," grinned Harry.  
"Oh, yes," she said with relish.  
Ron chuckled. "Harry, I think we're bad influence on her."  
  
* * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * *  
  
The Quiditch game went without incident. Hermione kept a sharp eye on Muriel throughout the match and Gryffindor won 180 points to 30 points. 


	27. Saying Thanks

The days slipped by. Things got much better between Hermione and Luna. They almost seemed friends. Almost. Hermione still tried to decipher Luna's personality and why she was the way she was, but Luna remained as inscrutable as ever. Hermione also began to make a sincere effort in attempting to do as Luna asked during their extra Occlumency lessons. Ron, Harry, and Hermione greatly improved in Occlumency. They were able to plot block out their emotions most of the time before they began now. Ginny said it best, "Just check 'em at the door and leave them there."  
Classes continued to get harder and Hermione had study schedules for them earlier than ever. Ron had protested, "Hermione! It's only November!" Her stony glare was the only answer he received.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * *  
  
Harry was certainly grateful to Luna for all her help. He wondered how to make it up to her. He saw her coming out of one of the classrooms and was struck by an idea. II know!I he thought. II'll get her a necklace. Something to replace that tacky Butterbeer cap one she wears. Perfect! But I'm going to have to ask Hermione or Ginny for help in picking one out. But there'd be no time to get to Hogsmeade before the next Hogsmeade day. Maybe he could get Ginny's help with picking something out in the morning and then give it to her at lunch. That might work. I He hurried quickly to Herbology; he was going to be late.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * *  
  
The next morning Harry caught Ginny's arm as she was leaving the Gryffindor table at breakfast. "Hey, Gin, I need to talk with Luna. Do you know where she is?"  
"Um, I don't see her right now. But I've got double Charms with Ravenclaw next. Come to Flitwick's room after class and I'll keep her there."  
"Thanks, Ginny. I don't want you to be late for class but I need to talk to you later."  
"Alright." She exited the Great Hall.  
After class, Harry went to Flitwick's room as promised, and waiting right outside were Luna and Ginny.  
"Hello."  
"Hey." He found himself oddly nervous. "Luna, I was wondering . . .you've been helping me a lot lately, and I know I'm not always the easiest person to get along with. I don't really have the best temper either. But I want to properly thank you, so will you meet me for lunch on the next Hogsmeade day?" Harry wasn't even really sure why he was saying any of this.  
"Okay."  
"Er, great," said Harry. "I'll see you later. Remember, I want to talk to you, Ginny." He started to go in the opposite direction as he heard two familiar voices approaching. Unfortunately he wasn't fast enough.  
Parvati, passing by, asked Lavender, "Did I just hear what I just heard?"  
"Harry's going on a date with Looney Lovegood!" giggled Lavender.  
Harry's face reddened but Luna didn't notice, though she must have heard. He hadn't meant it as a date! Just a thank you for helping him. Now what had he gotten himself into?  
Ginny was doubled over in a fit of silent giggles, she grinned and quickly caught up with Harry.  
"You know I didn't mean it like that!" Harry whispered to her.  
"I know," she was barely catching her breath; it was just too funny.  
"Does Luna know that?"  
"I think so. What did you need to talk to me about?"  
"Oh. See I wanted to get Luna something for being so great about helping me with all my Occlumency problems. And-"  
"You wanted me to help you pick something out."  
"Yeah."  
"Okay, Harry. I'll be thinking. There's only another week before the next Hogsmeade weekend."  
"Alright. Thanks, Gin." He smiled gratefully. 


	28. Not a Date in Hogsmeade

Harry woke early the morning of the Hogsmeade trip.  
"Nnng . . ." groaned Ron. He rubbed his eyes. "What are you doing awake so early, Harry? It's a Saturday."  
"I've got a lot to do in Hogsmeade."  
"But it's still Iearly/I!" he protested.  
"You don't have to get up yet." Harry tied his shoes.  
"I'm awake anyway," he grumbled. "But let's not wake them." He pointed to the three still sleeping youths in the dorm. "At least somebody'll get to rest."  
"Let's get going then," Harry said.  
Down in the common room, Hermione and Ginny soon came and they all went down to the Great Hall.  
"What are you so busy doing today?" Ron asked Harry, as he shoveled food in his mouth. Never mess with Ron before he ate in the morning: he might kill you.  
"I've got some shopping and I've got too meet somebody for lunch," he said, nervous.  
Hermione grinned. "Lavender and Parvati were telling me. You've got a date with Luna today, Harry. Where are you taking her? Madam Puddifoot's?" she smirked.  
Harry felt like smacking her on the back of the head, but decided to be content with kicking her under the table.  
Ron paused in his eating. "Harry's got a date with Looney? I thought Seamus and Dean were Ijoking/I!"  
"It's not a date," Harry said through gritted teeth.  
"Then why are you going out with her today?" asked Neville, sitting down on Ginny's other side.  
"Luna helped me with something for something for the Hogwarts Potions Guild." Harry put emphasis on the name of the false club.  
Neville got the message. "Yeah, she's good, isn't she?" he said admiringly.  
"Yeah," Harry said softly. He mentally shook his head. "Anyway, I'm going to thank her for her help, treat her to lunch, and maybe get her a present."  
"Like what?"  
"A necklace that isn't so tacky like the one she wears all the time."  
"Good idea."  
Harry got up and left the table and went out into the entrance hall. Ginny met him a few minutes later. "What took you so long?"  
She teased, "Wouldn't want people to think you were two-timing Luna. Besides, I had to talk to somebody, my life doesn't revolve around you."  
He punched in the arm for the Luna comment, but not too hard. "Come on. We better get going."  
"Right."  
When they reached Hogsmeade, Ginny led him to a little jewelry shop. After much contemplation and some advice from Ginny, Harry picked out a darling choker. It was made with dark blue, almost black, beads and in the center was a golden-yellow crescent moon of some type of metal or material that Harry wasn't familiar with.  
The jeweler first handed it to Ginny, thinking the necklace was for her but Ginny promptly answered. "Gift wrap please, it's for a friend." The jeweler put the necklace in a little box with iridescent tissue paper and tied it with a ribbon. Harry paid and walked out of the store with the box in his pocket.  
Ginny said, "Just curious, but Hermione helps you a lot too. With all your work. You ever think about showing her some appreciation? She feels so . . .used sometimes."  
"Really?"  
"Uh-huh."  
"Let's stop in here." They went inside another store and brought back out a book Hermione had expressed interest in and a card. "Thanks, Ginny. Hermione's one of my best friends. I don't want to lose her over something stupid. Ron and I should appreciate her more. I've got some time before I've got to meet Luna. You've been such a big help today. Let me treat you to some chocolate."  
Inside, they ran into Lavender and Parvati. "Harry and Ginny! Where's Looney?"  
"I thought you had a date with her today. What are you doing here with Ginny Weasley?"  
"I don't have a date with Luna today," he said.  
"Oh. So just a date with Ginny?"  
"No. I'm not on a date with Ginny either. She's helping me with my Christmas shopping."  
Lavender looked disappointed and Parvati thought he must have been lying. Parvati said, "I'll talk to you later, Ginny. Come on, Lavender."  
Harry paid for their candy and walked out.  
"It's quarter 'til twelve. Aren't you meeting Luna soon?"  
"Yeah. I told her to be at the Three Broomsticks at 12."  
"You better get going then. I'm meeting somebody at Madam Puddifoot's."  
Harry's eyes widened. "Who?" Ron would probably skin the guy alive.  
She hesitated. "Neville."  
"Neville?"  
"Yeah. He really is a sweet guy. I've had my eye on him for a while." She threw her head back and laughed. "He certainly grew up a bit this past summer. Taller, and he lost the baby fat look in his face. Goodbye!" she gave a little wave and hurried off.  
Harry shook his head. Ginny and Neville? Ron would definitely skin him alive. He stood outside the Three Broomsticks, waiting for Luna.  
Her approach was silent and he didn't know she was there until she said, "Hello, Harry."  
"Oh! Hi, Luna. Let's go inside." He held the door open for her and noticed the clothes she was wearing. Her robes were all black, high to the neck, with buttons going down the front in a straight line about three quarters of the way across her torso. And for a wonder of all wonders, her hair actually looked as though she'd brushed it for once.  
They ordered and Luna asked, "Why did you want to see me today?"  
"To say thank you for all the help you've given me this semester."  
She nodded.  
"And I wanted to give you this to say thank you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the box.  
"You didn't have to get me anything."  
"Consider it a gift from a friend saying 'thank you'." He pushed the box toward her across the table.  
She blinked but didn't touch it. "You didn't have to get me anything," she repeated.  
"If you won't consider it a gift from a friend then think of it as payment for your tutoring me," he was getting annoyed.  
"A friend." Slowly she undid the ribbon and opened the box. "It's beautiful. Thank you." She leaned across the table and gave him a kiss on the cheek.  
Harry was mildly surprised, this sort of thing had happened once before. But that was Hermione giving him a kiss on the cheek at Kings Cross after their fourth year. This was slightly more surprising. He said the first thing that came to mind, "This isn't a date."  
"I know," she said, placidly. "You know, you really don't need anymore Occlumency lessons beyond the lessons Delano is going to keep giving you. The three of you are more than caught up."  
"Three? What about Ginny?"  
"Ginny never needed my help. You know she was just there to keep Hermione and I from killing each other."  
"So, I guess that's the end of the lessons?"  
"Not necessarily. Occlumency is for defensive purposes. If you want to beat him (there was no need to specify which "him" she was referring to) you need offensive magic too. Legilimency is offensive and I can teach it to you."  
"You'd do that?"  
"Yes."  
"Wow. Thank you."  
"So you want to?"  
"Absolutely." Legilimency, that would certainly be interesting. And useful too.  
They sat in silence, eating for a while. They got up and went outside, walking nowhere in particular.  
"I had an ulterior motive, you know," she said suddenly.  
"What?"  
"An ulterior motive in offering you Occlumency lessons."  
"What was it?"  
"To get to know you better. You're an interesting person."  
"So are you." He wondered just where this conversation was going.  
"I know today isn't a date. I know some of the other girls thought that it was."  
"Oh."  
"But, I think you're something else, Harry. I can't really quite define what you are." They paused under a tree.  
"You're kind of confusing me," he said.  
"So? I really hope you don't mind this."  
Before Harry realized what was happening Luna leaned close and kissed him, her lips on top of his. Harry was surprised at the warmth of Luna's lips and put an arm around her without realizing it. The kiss lasted perhaps a minute and a half.  
They broke apart slowly and Harry let go of her. A minute and a half of kissing could leave you with a fair amount of saliva in your mouth. Harry wasn't sure whether he was supposed to swallow or spit.  
"I'll see you later, Harry." She grinned, a mischievous twinkle in her eye and walked back down the path they'd come.  
He just nodded, and spit as soon as she was out of sight. It hadn't been a bad kiss at all, quite the contrary; he just didn't want that much moisture in his mouth when he had so much thinking to do. He sat down. He couldn't believe it.  
Luna Lovegood had kissed him. What had she done that for?  
Well, that was a stupid question. He smacked himself in the forehead. It was time to review the facts.  
Luna knew today wasn't a date. He'd made sure of that. But she'd obviously made some sort of an effort to look nicer. Her hair had been brushed smooth. And she admitted that the real reason she'd given Harry Occlumency lessons, or at least part of the reason, was because she liked him. Hadn't she said that? Yes, she had said that.  
Girls were so confusing! What was he going to do? He could ignore the whole scene; he could forget it happened. But he didn't really want to forget it. What was he going to do?  
He sighed and began the long walk back to Hogwarts.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ha, I'm a Harry/Luna shipper if you can't tell. But I am definitely going to keep Harry on his toes. He can never have a normal love life, you know! Then again, he can never have a normal Ilife/I. Tell me what you think. Next chapter will go up when I get reviews. So here's a little preview for the next chapter.  
  
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"You'll never guess who I saw snogging in Madam Puddifoot's!"  
"Who?" asked Harry.  
"It was Weasley!"  
"Ginny?"  
"Not Ithat/I Weasley," she giggled. 


	29. Back in the Common Room

Harry wandered around the lake for a while, not quite ready to go back to the common room. What was he going to say to Ron and Hermione? And Ginny? Then again, maybe there was nothing to say. After all, they'd decided that today was not a date. He could completely ignore the fact that Luna had kissed him. No one had seen. And she might have meant it as a joke. Knowing her, it probably was a joke.  
But what if it wasn't a joke?  
He ran his fingers through his hair, worried. He almost wished it wasn't a joke. That made him more worried. He couldn't actually like Luna. That was just beyond crazy.  
He'd tell Ron and Hermione about it. After all, if he didn't tell them then it would seem like it did mean something had he was hiding it. But if he was open and told them, then it would be like it was just no big deal. It wasn't a big deal.  
He started back for the castle.  
Harry was halfway to Gryffindor tower when Lavender found him.  
"Harry, you'll never guess what we saw!"  
"Huh? What we?" he asked.  
"Parvati's coming. She just stopped to tell Dean the news." She hardly paused for a breath. "You'll never guess who I saw snogging in Madam Puddifoot's!"  
"Who?" asked Harry.  
"It was Weasley!"  
"Ginny?"  
"Not Ithat/I Weasley," she giggled.  
Parvati caught up to them. "Did you tell him?"  
"But the only other Weasley at Hogwarts is . . ." Harry's eyes went wide. "Ron?"  
"That's right!" said Lavender.  
Parvati added, "Ron and Hermione!" The girls giggled. "Ron's going to kill Neville."  
"Why?" Harry already knew why.  
"Because, Ginny was in Madam Pudifoot's too. With Neville."  
Harry could just imagine Ron's reaction to seeing his sister making- out with one of his friends. It was not pretty.  
"So how'd your date with Luna go?" Obviously, since they saw Ginny with Neville, they'd given up on thinking Harry was there with Ginny.  
"It wasn't a date." But there wasn't the same confidence there as when he'd said the words before.  
"We've got to go." They ran off.  
Harry was stunned. Ron and Hermione? He remembered what Fred and George had sad over the summer and wondered just how many Gryffindors were going to lose gold over this.  
Ron and Hermione. Harry shook his head. This day got stranger and stranger.  
Then again, maybe it wasn't so strange. Looking back, there were plenty of signs of interest between Hermione and Ron. But neither one really recognized the other before.  
Harry entered the common room and saw Neville, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione.  
Neville hardly looked nervous despite Ron's glares. Okay, maybe he looked a little nervous. Ron and Hermione sat awfully close together. Ginny's face was expressionless.  
Harry came and sat in a chair across from Ron. "I, er, ran into Parvati in the hall."  
"I guess she told you?" asked Ron.  
"Yeah. You two?" He looked at Ron and Hermione. They actually did make a cute couple.  
"Uh-huh. Since I knew you were going to be spending the day with Luna, and Ron and I were going to be by ourselves anyway, I decided it was the time to ask him out," said Hermione.  
"But why Madam Puddifoot's?" Harry couldn't stand that place.  
"Because, it's the one place we knew you wouldn't be."  
"We hadn't counted on my sister being there," Ron said darkly. "Sleep with one eye open tonight, Neville." Ron stalked upstairs. Neville muttered something about talking things out and followed him.  
Ginny said, "Ron! Neville!" But they didn't come back. "I guess it's my turn. Neville and I had a date. I certainly didn't expect to see Ron there. He didn't even notice me until he had Hermione had to come up for air." Ginny gave a slight giggle and Hermione blushed. "But anyway, he Idid/I notice and came and actually pulled us apart. Then he went ranting on about how I was too young to be kissing, and how Neville was too old for me. I pointed out that Neville was his age but that didn't make him feel any better. Then he looked at what I was drinking and said I was too young for coffee. He practically dragged me back here. I'm sorry I ruined your date, Hermione. I didn't mean to."  
"That's all right, Ginny." Hermione sighed. "So how was you day, Harry?"  
He said the first words that came to mind, "She kissed me."  
"What?" the girls asked in unison.  
"Luna. She kissed me."  
"I made it clear with her that you weren't on a date!" Ginny said angrily. "I told her, even if she liked you, which I wasn't sure if she did, you were not on a date."  
"She said she knew it wasn't a date," Harry said.  
"So what happened? Did you give her some sort of sign that said otherwise? Anything?"  
"No. We were just walking while we talked and she stopped under a tree and so I stopped too. She says 'I really hope you don't mind this' and then before I realize it, she's kissing me!"  
Unfortunately for Harry it was at just that time the Parvati and Lavender walked in. "Ooh! Who did you say was kissing you, Harry?"  
"Uh, nobody."  
"No. . . .somebody was. It was Luna, wasn't it?"  
Harry didn't answer. He couldn't.  
"It was!"  
"N-n-n-n-no!" he started to sputter, but they'd left. "How did they get into Gryffindor when it's their life's mission to spread gossip?"  
"I don't know."  
"Beats me."  
Ginny asked, "Forget them. What happened?"  
"Well, she kissed me and then she left."  
"Did she say anything?"  
"Just that she'd see me later." He was silent for a minute. "It was nice to kiss a girl who wasn't crying." His first kiss, Cho had started crying over her ex-boyfriend when she started to kiss Harry; this had been different, Luna showed no inclination to cry.  
"Yeah, so just how was the lip-lock?" grinned Hermione. Ginny was laughing.  
"You two should talk. At least I wasn't kissing in public. Not really anyway. You were both in Madam Puddifoot's with your dates, for everybody to see. So, Hermione, did you ask Ron to the date, or did he ask you?"  
"I asked him."  
Ginny laughed, "I've got to write the twins."  
"Why?" asked Hermione.  
"They'll be pleased to know you're finally dating ickle-Ronniekins. Besides," she stood, "they were taking bets at the joke shop from every Gryffindor who came in." She rushed off to the Owlery.  
"Harry, you might want to go back to your dorm and make sure Ron doesn't kill Neville."  
"Right." Harry went upstairs and he could here the noise before he opened the door.  
"That was my sister!" Crash.  
"I'm sorry, Ron, but I really like her."  
"You were snogging my sister in public!" Another crash.  
"I said I was sorry, Ron. But I really care about her."  
"You didn't even ask me if you could go out with her."  
"She's not a child, Ron. She's 15 years old and she wants you to treat her like a young lady with the respect she deserves."  
"She doesn't deserve any respect if she's kissing like that in public!"  
"Ron! You were in the exact same restaurant as us and you were kissing Hermione so much you didn't even know we were there."  
Harry decided it was time to intervene before Ron threw anything else at Neville. Sure enough there were pillows and books and things scattered all over the room, some of them broken, and Ron was advancing toward Neville again.  
"Break it up, mates! Break it up before I call Hagrid in here to settle the two of you!" He stood between them.  
"You aren't good enough for my sister!"  
"That's not true!" Now Neville was trying to advance toward Ron too.  
"Keep apart! TO YOUR CORNERS NOW!" He preformed banishing charms on both of them and sent them to opposite ends of the room. "Behave yourselves!" He glared and his two friends. "Neville, what Ron said was nothing against you. He doesn't really think anybody's good enough for his sister. Isn't that true, Ron?"  
Ron muttered something Harry couldn't catch.  
"Ron was overreacting. How would you feeling if you had a little sister and you saw her kissing some guy like that?"  
"I'd probably be very upset," said Neville.  
"You'd be more than upset," said Harry. "Neville was right Ron. You were in the same tea and coffee shop kissing Hermione."  
Ron muttered angrily.  
"I won't leave until the two of you decide not to fight. Or at least decide not to kill each other."  
Finally an agreement was made. Ron would not kill Neville, and Neville would not kiss Ginny at any time or place that Ron could see.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks for the reviews, everybody! I really appreciate them. I'll post the next chapter when I get more reviews, so here's a little teaser:  
  
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"I've got a bone to pick with you, Harry."  
"What's that?"  
"Why didn't you tell us about you and your new girlfriend!" They began to clobber Harry. 


	30. Deep Conversations

Harry went down to dinner that night, still very confused over the whole situation with Luna. What was he going to do? He wasn't sure he was comfortable continuing lessons with Luna. It might be awkward. Besides that, did he really want her in his mind anymore than she already was?  
On the other hand, Legilimency would be useful. It was something he certainly needed.  
What was he going to do? He'd have to talk to Luna, no matter how much he wanted to avoid her right now. But most of the students would be leaving for the holidays tomorrow morning.  
"Gin?"  
"Yeah, Harry?"  
"Do you know if Luna is staying over here over Christmas?"  
"I'm not sure. Why?" Her voice was casual but there was laughter in her eyes.  
"I need to talk to her."  
"About what?"  
"About today."  
"Sorry, I don't know if she's staying. You could try to catch her before she leaves here tonight."  
"You're a big help," he said sarcastically.  
Ginny just grinned.  
  
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Harry left the table early and waited by the stairs for Luna to come by.  
Finally-it seemed almost every single other person had already come and gone-Luna came.  
Her usual dazed expression was on her face. "I told you I'd see you again today."  
Harry realized she was right. She had said that. "We need to talk."  
"I know. But I can't stay long. I have to pack. I'm leaving tomorrow."  
"Why?"  
"The Christmas holidays start tomorrow."  
"Right." How had he forgotten that?  
"What did you want to talk about?" She sat down on the bottom stair.  
Harry sat down next to her, but not too close. "Today. Why did you . . .?"  
"Why did I kiss you? I'd think the answer would be obvious."  
"But, er, you knew it wasn't a date today."  
"So?" she stared at him placidly.  
"So, then why?"  
"You're a very interesting person, Harry Potter. But I don't think I'm going to answer your question."  
"Why not?"  
"You're cute when you argue."  
By now, Harry was positively stupefied. "Cute when I argue?"  
"The rest of the time too, actually." She gave a little smile and brushed imaginary dust off her robes. "Happy Christmas, Harry. I've got to go."  
Harry sat there still, moments after she had disappeared from sight, trying to figure out what had happened.  
Okay, he thought. Let's think logically about this. He laughed. There was nothing logical about Luna Lovegood. Okay, so he waited here for her so she could explain why she'd kissed him earlier. She'd said the answer was obvious, so she wasn't going to tell him. She knew today was not a date (though he was beginning to doubt it). She said he was an interesting person but she wasn't going to answer his question. Then she said he was cute when he was arguing, no, she'd said he was always cute.  
What was up with that? Nobody had ever called him cute before. Cho hadn't even called him cute. Ginny hadn't ever called him cute. At least, not within his hearing.  
Then she just got up and left! He was even more confused now than he was earlier. And he wasn't going to see her for another couple weeks. Wait a minute, was he IsadI about not being able to see her? That couldn't be right. He went back to the common room and found Hermione. Ron was nowhere in sight.  
"Here, Hermione. This is for you." He gave her the book and card.  
"How sweet! What's this for? Christmas isn't for another few days."  
"This isn't your Christmas present. This is a thank you for all the help you've given me over the past six years. If it weren't for you I would have flunked out of Hogwarts ages ago. And I'd probably have been dead."  
"That's what friends are for."  
"Then, I guess what I mean is, thanks for being my friend."  
She opened the book. "I love this! You remembered I wanted it?"  
"Yeah."  
"Thanks, Harry." She gave him a hug.  
"You're welcome, Herms."  
"Try to be quiet when you go upstairs, Ron said he was going to sleep early."  
"I'm not going yet. I've got a question."  
"Okay."  
"What would you say if somebody told you that you looked cute when you argue?"  
"Me, Harry?"  
"Somebody said it to me and . . ."  
"Luna, right? Ginny said you were going to talk to her."  
"Well I asked her about today and she didn't really give me any answers." Harry relayed the conversation to her. "Are you seeing anything in this that I'm not?"  
She smiled. "Luna likes you."  
"Luna does?"  
"Well, even if she doesn't fancy you she does think you're a good person and she finds you attractive."  
"Really?" He was rather surprised.  
"Don't be stupid, Harry. You Iare/I attractive. I've got no interest in dating you and Ginny doesn't either anymore, but still . . ." She smiled and shrugged. "You're just not Imy/I type."  
He blinked. This was certainly surprising.  
"Don't tell, Ron. This isn't the sort of thing you usually tell a guy."  
"I understand." He was still dumb-founded.  
She laughed softly. "No you don't. I don't even know why I'm telling you this. Neville's awfully cute too."  
"But . . .I thought . . .Ron?" he asked.  
"Harry, there's a difference between loving someone and thinking somebody is attractive. Look around you at the other people here. I'm sure you find at least a few of the girls pretty."  
He looked around at the crowded common room and had to admit she was right.  
"But you don't necessarily fancy all of them, or even any of them, right?"  
"Right."  
"But you still won't tell Ron this, right? I doubt he'd understand."  
"Don't worry, I won't. I'm not sure I understand."  
"A lot of guys don't really. But one day you'll fall in love and understand it."  
"In love?" Love was a hard concept for him. He'd lost so many people he cared about. His parents before he ever got to know them, his godfather who was the closest thing he'd ever had to a father. Love was definitely a hard concept for him, he wasn't even sure that he ever could fall in love. "You're in love with Ron?"  
"For some time now actually. I just got sick of waiting for him. I can't imagine life without him."  
"Does he know you love him?"  
"I haven't said it yet, at least not aloud where he could hear me. Don't you dare tell him!"  
"I won't. I promise. I'm going upstairs now."  
"Don't wake him."  
"I won't." This was all a little mind-blowing. He had some serious thinking to do.  
Harry entered the dorm and heard a voice out of the darkness.  
"We've got a bone to pick with you, Harry."  
"What's that?" he asked.  
"Why didn't you tell us about you and your new girlfriend!" They began to clobber Harry.  
With pillows.  
Harry gasped for breath and tried to find his own pillow to start hitting them back. "What," he panted, "are . . .you . . . talking . . .about?"  
"You and Luna, idiot!"  
"Yeah, you didn't tell us! We had to hear it from Lavender and Parvati."  
"So just what did they tell you?"  
"That you were on a date with Looney today."  
"And that you kissed her."  
Harry turned scarlet and the other boys laughed. "Tell us about it!"  
"I didn't kiss her!"  
"Sure," Ron said sarcastically. "Lavender heard you admit it."  
"No! She kissed me."  
"Lavender kissed you?" asked Neville.  
"No, ILunaI kissed him, numbskull." Seamus hit Neville with the pillow.  
"So? Tell us."  
"Well, there's not really much to tell. I was walking with her in Hogsmeade and she just kissed me."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah," said Harry.  
"Cho's a better kisser, right, Harry?" asked Ron. "There's no way Looney would be. Look at her."  
"I don't know. At least Luna wasn't crying when I kissed her."  
Dean asked, "When did he kiss Cho?"  
Seamus said, "You forget, they did date last year. But, Harry, were you so bad at kissing that you made Cho cry?"  
"No!"  
The other boys started laughing again.  
Dean said, "Looks like Harry's a Romeo."  
"Romeo?" asked Ron.  
Harry answered before Dean could, "He was a character from a Muggle story about 400 years ago."  
Seamus asked, "Didn't he die?"  
"What?" asked Ron.  
"Romeo. He killed himself 'cause he thought Juliet was dead. Then, Juliet saw that Romeo was dead and killed herself."  
Harry had gotten into his pajamas while Seamus talked. "Goodnight, everybody."  
"We're going to talk to tomorrow," said Neville.  
Harry yawned, "No you won't. All of you 'cept Ron are going home for the holidays."  
Seamus swore. "He's right."  
Harry fell asleep.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, so what did you think? Am I getting too mushy? If I am, it'll pass, it's getting near my anniversary so I guess I'm a little mushy right now (anniversary for dating a certain wonderful guy, I'm not married I'm still in high school!). Anyway please review and I'll give you a preview. *  
  
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"Harry, look up," she said, a note of wryness in her voice.  
Harry looked up, past her face, above her head, until he saw something hanging on the lantern pole. Harry saw what was above his head, there was only one thing he could possibly do. So he did the only the he possibly could. 


	31. Goodbye

Harry got up early the next day. He ate breakfast and went down to the station where students were leaving for Christmas with their families.  
  
He wasn't sure why but he had to talk to Luna one more time before she left. He just had to. He needed some answers.  
  
He arrived at the station with the students were leaving and the few students who had come to see there friends off.  
  
The train was nearly ready to leave when Harry finally saw Luna. "Here," he said. "Let me help you with that." He helped her carry her trunk onto the train.  
  
"Why are you really here?"  
  
"What?" he asked. He walked back off the train and she followed.  
  
"You've got a reason. There's a reason for everything."  
  
Harry sighed. "I want answers, Luna."  
  
"Don't we all? Not knowing something is nerve-wracking, isn't it? Terrifying?" She seemed to smile without changing her facial expression at all.  
  
"I don't know. I guess."  
  
"What do you want the answer to?"  
  
"What possibly possessed you to kiss me?"  
  
"I imagine your friends are giving you a hard time."  
  
"Yeah."  
"Well that's just too bad."  
  
"Tell me, please."  
  
"I already did."  
  
"You kissed me so my friends would give me a hard time?"  
  
"No. You're an interesting and attractive person, Harry. Someone I want to spend time with."  
  
"I think I want to spend more time with you too."  
  
"That's nice," her tone was vague.  
  
"Is that all you've got to say?" Harry wasn't sure what he meant by what he said but he'd been expecting a little more reaction than "that's nice". Was he disappointed?  
  
"Harry, look up," she said, a note of wryness in her voice.  
  
Harry looked up, past her face, above her head, until he saw something hanging on the lantern pole. Harry saw what was above his head, there was only one thing he could possibly do. So he did the only the he possibly could.  
  
What's the one thing you have to do when there's mistletoe above you? Kiss the person your standing with . . .in this case: Luna Lovegood.  
  
She grinned, anticipating his reaction to the mistletoe above their heads; he wondered briefly if she had put it there.  
  
Harry's lips met Luna's for the second time. They were as warm and sweet as he remembered from Hogsmeade. Harry wasn't sure how long he'd been kissing her, it could have been a minute, it could have been ten, but the bell for the train rang and she just got back on board and was gone.  
  
Someone tapped him on the shoulder, "Wipe that idiot grin from your face, Potter."  
  
Harry saw Cho standing behind him.  
  
"Hi, Cho. What are you doing here?"  
  
"I was seeing Marietta off. She's going home for the holidays. It's obvious what you were doing here."  
  
Harry took two quick steps to the left to avoid from standing under the mistletoe any longer. Harry ignored her final comment. "I was seeing off a friend. How's your boyfriend doing? Roger Davies, isn't it?" He knew quite well that Roger had broken up with her.  
  
"I broke up with him ages ago. He wasn't good enough for me. So I see the rumors about you and Looney are true."  
  
"Her name's Luna and I don't know what you mean. Only a complete idiot listens to gossip."  
  
She sniffed and stalked off like an angry cat.  
  
Harry laughed, he wasn't quite sure why. But laughing felt right. He began the long walk back to Hogwarts. He walked slowly and got there just as lunch was beginning.  
  
"Harry, where've you been all morning?" asked Hermione.  
  
Ron added, "Nobody was in the dorm when I got up. Why'd you leave so early?"  
  
"I had to see somebody off at the station."  
  
"You know, Cho walked in here twenty minutes ago looking like an angry cat."  
  
"Really?" Cho was so emotional.  
  
"Yeah. Somebody that came in after her said Cho caught you and Luna in a lip-lock," grinned Hermione.  
  
"I was talking to Luna and it turned out we were standing under mistletoe." He tried to shrug it off but none of his friends bought it.  
  
"Sure, Harry." Ron rolled his eyes.  
  
Harry clocked him. "It's true!"  
  
Hermione and Ginny just laughed and started humming love songs under their breaths.  
  
Okay, you know the routine, read and review and you'll get a spiffy preview!  
  
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"You've been quiet the last few days. We want the truth, Harry. What's going on with you and Luna?"  
  
"Truth, Harry, do you fancy her?"  
  
"Of course not! At least, I don't think so." He didn't sound to sure of himself. 


	32. Christmas Morning

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, when I say "Harr" it's really supposed to sound like "hair" and be short for Harry. The letter referenced in this chapter can be found in chapter 8. Let me know what you think of the new formatting so I can decide whether or not to stick with it.  
  
The last few days before Christmas passed quickly for the most part, but sometimes Harry would suddenly miss Luna. He'd just suddenly need to talk to her. Crave her odd advice. Or even just want to see her. Wow, this was weird.  
  
He wasn't as nervous around Luna as he had always been around Cho when he'd liked her. He couldn't explain this anymore than he could explain his missing Luna. She was certainly intriguing. When was term starting again?  
  
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"HAPPY CHRISTMAS!" the dormitory doors burst open and Hermione bounced in, practically skipping.  
  
"Ugh. Herms, we were asleep, you know," said Harry, groggily reaching for his glasses automatically.  
  
"Well, now you're not!" she said brightly.  
  
"We're awake anyway, Harry, let's open our presents." Ron scrambled to the end of his bed on his knees.  
  
Harry too began to open his presents.  
  
"Herms, nobody saw you come in, right?"  
  
"Of course not. Remember, Harry loaned me his invisibility cloak."  
  
"Oh. Right," said Ron. "Happy Chri-"  
  
Harry looked up to see what had stopped Ron's words. Ron couldn't say anything because his mouth was otherwise occupied at the moment. Hermione stopped kissing him, blushed, and went to sit on the Neville's bed to open her presents. She tossed Harry's silvery invisibility cloak to him.  
  
"You've been quiet the last few days. We want the truth, Harry. What's going on with you and Luna?"  
  
"Truth, Harry, do you fancy her?"  
  
"Of course not! At least, I don't think so." He didn't sound to sure of himself.  
  
"Hey, Harr, who sent you those brownies?"  
  
"I dunno. They look good though." Harry picked up the package of brownies he hadn't noticed before and opened them. "Smell great too. You want some?" He shared them out between the three of them and went back to opening presents.  
  
"Maybe Luna sent them to you," teased Hermione.  
  
"She doesn't really strike me as the sort who likes to hang around the kitchen all day." Harry opened the usual package from Mrs. Weasley and some Honeyduke's chocolate and stoat sandwiches from Hagrid. He immediately threw the stoat sandwiches away. Hermione had gotten him a book on various flying creatures of the north.  
  
"Harry, what's that letter?"  
  
"I dunno." Harry hadn't noticed it but he opened it now. "It's Lupin's reply."  
  
"You wrote to Lupin without telling us?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What did you write about?"  
  
Harry meant to tell them it was nothing important, but those weren't the words that came out. "This summer I found a letter Sirius wrote. A letter he wrote to me. It was from the day . . ." his voice choked for a moment but he went on. "The day we went to the Department of Mysterious. I- it wasn't finished. The letter, I mean. He talked about a lot of stuff. About himself and my dad. He mentioned my and said that she knew more than I thought about us and our world but I never found out what it was. I thought Lupin might know what Sirius was going to write. So I asked."  
  
"You didn't have to tell us this."  
  
"I wasn't planning to until I'd read Lupin's response. But when you asked me I didn't feel like I had a choice."  
  
They were all silent for a moment before shouting in unison, "The brownies!"  
  
Hermione snatched the last one. "I'll test this later. But my guess is that there was some sort of truth potion inside these. Who would do something like that?"  
  
"You know, I thought it was strange that Malfoy decided to stay here over the holidays. He was here in the fourth year and second year but he went home the other three."  
  
"But whoever sent this could have just mailed it from somewhere else."  
Harry grimaced. "Not if the person who sent it wanted to watch the 'fun' a truth potion would cause."  
  
Ron got a wicked grin on his face and it seemed Harry was able to read his mind (in the Muggle sense of the word) and Harry knew just what he was thinking. "Ron, don't you dare . . ."  
  
"Ron dared. He grinned. "Harry, what do you really think about Lu-"  
  
"Silencio!" Harry pointed his wand at Ron, who was no longer able to finish his question. Unfortunately for Harry, Hermione was able to speak and did.  
  
"Accio wand! Harry, how do you really feel about Luna Lovegood?"  
  
Harry grouned. He was doomed. Utterly doomed. "The truth is . . ."  
  
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Aren't cliffhangers FUN? (FUN stands for Furiously Umbridge-like [a]Nnoyance) *ducks from flying rotten tomatoes* But don't worry,, the next chapter will be posted either tonight or tomorrow so I'm not going to bother with a preview . . . 


	33. Truth

Harry banged his head on the headboard. Ow. Maybe that wasn't so smart. He froze the water in the bedside pitcher and put it against the lump forming on the back of his head. He thought, irritated, that maybe Ron and Hermione had been the ones to put the truth potion in the brownies. No. They weren't stupid and they ate the brownies too. He was just trying to distract himself. Well, now they knew. Now they knew.  
And in a way, now he knew. He'd been denying it, even to himself.  
Now he'd admitted it.  
But he was not going to admit it to her.  
He just didn't have time to be in a relationship. Walking a girl to class and all that garbage. Listening to her cry. But he could always use more friends.  
But she was different. She didn't cry. And she wasn't so helpless or needy that she had to have her boyfriend walk her to class. She was smart. She could take care of herself. She was funny too . . .  
Harry recalled every word he'd told Ron and Hermione. He groaned again, remembering. Hermione had asked, "Harry, how do you really feel about Luna Lovegood?"  
He'd answered, "The truth is I think I really care about her. I think she's smart, sweet, strange, beautiful . . .wonderful. But she scares me. Like she's got some unspoken power over me. I can't really explain it. It's like I need her. She's only been gone a few days and I already miss her. I didn't mind when she kissed me, sure I was startled but . . .I liked it. I like her. And I hate the fact that I just told the two of you all this." He moped with his arms folded.  
There was really no good reaction to this. Hermione and Ron could take the sensitive "That's so sweet!" approach, or they could tease him and say something along the lines of, "Our little Harry's all-grown up and in love!" But neither one really seemed to fit so they didn't say anything for a long time.  
Finally Ron said quietly, "I hope that whether or not you choose to tell her this, you're happy." It was the only thing that really fit. He motioned for Hermione to leave (after checking to see that the way was clear), then got dressed and left Harry alone with his thoughts.  
Harry sat for maybe another twenty minutes, banging his head against the headboard (which is where this chapter started).  
Finally he got dressed and met Ron and Hermione in the common room.  
"Hey," he said, trying to lighten the mood. "I'm starved. Let's get something to eat." The three of them ate and met Ginny outside for their annual snowball fight. This year, boys versus girls. Hermione and Ginny won, but Harry had a feeling that Ron went easy on Hermione.  
  
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"Y-y-you're not coming?" he asked. Suddenly he felt extremely nervous. This would be his first time seeing Luna since she left the Hogsmeade station at the beginning of the holidays. He wasn't sure he wanted to go see her by himself. 


	34. 1, 2, 3, Legilimens!

(Okay, I promise this time there are plot developments that don't really have anything to do with Luna/Harry, okay maybe a little)  
  
Harry wasn't sure whether it was a good thing or a bad thing, but soon enough term started again. With the start of term again also came the start of Occlumency lessons with Delano, Quiditch practice, and Legilimency lessons with Luna. His first Legilimency lesson would be January 2 (a Friday) and term would start Monday.  
Harry was just getting ready to go to his first Legilimency lesson and he realized that Ron, Ginny, and Hermione hadn't moved from where they were doing their homework.  
"Y-y-you're not coming?" he asked. Suddenly he felt extremely nervous. This would be his first time seeing Luna since she left the Hogsmeade station at the beginning of the holidays. He wasn't sure he wanted to go see her by himself. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny (they'd ended up having to tell Ginny what Harry confessed) understood Harry's nervousness.  
"Maybe next week, Harry. I think the two of you have a lot to talk about."  
"But, I don't know what to say! I wasn't going to say anything," Harry said.  
"You don't have to say anything then. We're not going to tell."  
"Just make ordinary conversation and talk to her how you've been talking to her all year."  
Harry shook his head and left, dreading the next hour.  
"Hello, Harry." She was standing by the door.  
"Hey, Luna." Harry listened to the words he had just spoken, he hadn't sounded nervous! That was a good sign, right?  
"How was your holiday break?"  
"Good. Yours?"  
"Yeah. My dad and I tried to catch Phoenixes up at the reserve. They have a catch and release program we tried just for the fun it. Couldn't catch any."  
Ha! this was Luna, the same Luna since he'd known her. Why had he even thought he was nervous? Everything was just like before.  
"Did you and Ron and Hermione like the brownies I sent?"  
"You sent those?" Hermione had tested the last brownie as many ways as she could and though it had several key ingredients found in truth potions, it was not any particular potion she recognized.  
"Yes. How did they taste?"  
"Fine, but why'd you put that truth serum in there?"  
"Oh, it wasn't a truth serum, not strictly speaking anyway. Another of my own things. It was a Cognitive Lucidity Inducer. In other words, it helps you think clearly and say what you're thinking."  
"That sounds an awful lot like a truth potion," he frowned dubiously.  
"It's not. We'd better get started."  
"Right."  
"Any particular reason the others didn't show up tonight?"  
He turned red and muttered, "Homework."  
"Not true." She smiled placidly and took her usual seat on top of McGonagall's desk. "Occlumency is defensive. Now that you know how to defend yourself, you're ready to learn to attack. That's where Legilimency comes in. Legilimency is offensive magic."  
It suddenly hit Harry like a ton of bricks. Snape's voice echoed in his mind, "It is very difficult to lie to a skilled Legilimensist, and you can only do it if you are a skilled Legilimensist." Or something to that effect. No wonder Luna knew he was lying when he said they hadn't come because of homework. From now on it might be better to answer her as honestly as possible, at least until he mastered Legilimency.  
She took no notice of his little reverie, though Harry supposed it must have been at least a moment since either of them said anything. But she went on as though all was normal. "Sheer will. Legilimency and Occlumency have to do with sheer force of will more than anything else. You've heard me say the spell more than often enough. You know the wand motion. Try to break into my mind right now and I'll do nothing to stop you. Won't even try to block you out." She sat there, swinging her legs against the desk.  
Harry hesitated, but said, "Legilimens!" and jabbed his wand. He was sure he had it right, but nothing happened.  
"It wasn't important enough to you to break into my mind. You have to really want to, really need to. Again."  
"Legilimens!"  
She laughed. "That was worse than the first try. But I can see you're getting angry now. Forget anger. Forget embarrassment. Forget. Just forget it. Try again."  
"Legilimens! Legilimens!" He continued to prove unsuccessful.  
"You aren't concentrating. Do I need to pull out the force-write spell to help you get rid of anything you're thinking?"  
"No," he said, a little too quickly. That was absolutely the last thing he needed . . .  
"Alright then. Concentrate."  
He wanted to know what was going on in her mind. He had to know. "Legilimens!" It felt like there was a little bit of give, as though he'd started to make progress; her natural defenses were beginning to weaken. He stopped, exhausted.  
"Very good. You're making progress. But you need to rest a few minutes. This spell takes a lot out of you when you're first learning it. Here." She took out a bag of cookies. "Eat them. I swear I didn't hex them or anything." She sat down at one of the student desks and Harry joined the seat next to hers.  
For the first time that night, he noticed that her hair was brushed smooth instead of the normal straggly hair that it usually appeared to be. Just like when they went to Hogsmeade. Harry instinctly moved his chair away from her. She appeared not to notice. Harry also finally noticed that she was wearing the choker he gave, instead of her Butterbeer-cap necklace. Unfortunately, she still wore the radish earrings. Harry decided he'd have to find some excuse to get her a new pair of earrings. Stars would go nicely with the moon choker. Oops, she was talking. He should probably be listening.  
" . . .mediation. It really helped with the Occlumency and may prove helpful here though I'd rather not waste time with it."  
"Did you have a good summer?"  
"You already asked that."  
Oh, right. He had asked that. But now he had some real questions. "Do you really think it's necessary for me to learn Legilimency?"  
"Yes."  
"Does Dumbledore think it's necessary for me to learn Legilimency?"  
"Yes. McGonagall brought the situation to him when I asked her about continuing the lessons into this new area of study."  
"Do you think it's necessary for Ron, Hermione, and Ginny to learn Legilimency?"  
"No. Ginny might have the skills for it however, but I see no reason for Ron or Hermione to have an interest in defensive magic. Reckless Gryffindors though they all are they don't seem to attract trouble nearly as much as you do, and they know enough for defensive purposes. They can join if they'd like."  
He'd run out of questions. At least for once she'd given him real answers.  
"Time to get working again, Harry." Luna went back to her place on the desk.  
He worked for the better part of another hour (but with breaks every ten minutes because of the high energy needed for such a spell).  
"I suppose you can be done for tonight. You look tired. But you're making progress."  
The final couple of times Harry had been able to catch a glimmer of a couple memories, but he was still not doing well. If he was this bad without any extra defenses up, he'd never make it against someone actually trying to defend him or herself. He nodded. "Thanks, Luna. This really means a lot to me. I've got to be able to fight back when he comes after me. I've just got to."  
"You'll be able to, Harry. It's nothing really."  
"It takes time away from you doing your homework," he said, feeling guilty.  
"My homework's done."  
"Really? Isn't this your O.W.L. year?"  
"And you aren't stressed out?"  
"Should I be? I know the material."  
Harry had to marvel. He remember even the Weasley twins had felt the OWL study crunch in their fifth year. "If you need any help-"  
"I'll let you know."  
Somehow, Harry doubted Luna would need his help. "Luna, about, you know, before Christmas . . ."  
"What about before Christmas?"  
He smiled a little sadly. "Never mind, Luna. Forget I said anything. Thanks, again." He walked away.  
Back in the common room the Weasleys and Hermione were chatting where Harry had last seen them, their books momentarily forgotten "How'd it go?" asked Hermione.  
"I didn't tell her," Harry said.  
"I meant how did the lesson go?"  
"Ohm that. Not too well. But I made a little progress near the end. And guess who sent us those brownies over Christmas?"  
"Luna sent them? Why would she send brownies made with a truth potion in them when she wouldn't even be around to ask you questions?" asked Ron.  
"She said it wasn't really a truth potion, strictly speaking. Just something she made. I think she called it a Cognitive Lucidity Inducer. She said it-"  
"Helped you think clearly," finished Hermione.  
"Yeah. And she said it also makes you more inclined to speak the truth once you're able to see things clearly."  
"But why send it?"  
Ginny said, "I think she was sending him a message. A warning. Saying that something's up and he better keep his mind sharp."  
"That makes sense . . ." said Harry. He felt tired and went up to the dormitory and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.  
  
Okay, you know the routine: you read and it's time to review (please?). Here's the next chapter preview. BTW I got the idea of putting up chapter previews from Lessa3 who writes wonderful Artemis Fowl fics. *  
  
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* The next door opened to show Mr. and Mrs. Weasley with bullet holes in them. There was a pool of blood around them and Harry felt sick. 


	35. Saturday Morning

Harry was running. He wasn't being pursued; he was chasing something. He opened a door and saw his dad die in a flash of green light. He shut the door quickly and saw the same happen to his mum behind another door. Then he opened a third door and saw Sirius fall and fall and fall. Now there was something chasing him. He had to open the next door no matter how much he didn't want to. There was Ron, hanging from a tree with a rope around his neck. The next door, Hermione was being burned, tied to a wooden stake. Another door. He was sobbing by the time he reached it. He saw Luna's head roll across the ground and land at his feet, her decapitated body in a mangled heap. Another door, he didn't want to open it. Ginny's body lay crushed beneath a huge rock with just her head showing. Her eyes gaped blindly and her tongue lolled out of her mouth. The next door opened to show Mr. and Mrs. Weasley with bullet holes in them. There was a pool of blood around them and Harry felt sick. The next door showed Hagrid drowning helplessly. The one after that showed Fred and George with their arms and legs at such odd angles they must have been broken in at least 3 places per limb. Behind the next door showed Dumbledore, Tonks, Moody, McGonagall, and Lupin frozen in ice or crystals. Suddenly Harry wasn't there anymore.  
Harry was now in a cave and he'd reached the end. He turned to fight whatever it was but everything went dark and he woke up to the total darkness of his four-poster bed with the curtains around it pulled shut tight. He felt the cold sweat on his brow. He shivered; remembering the horrible nightmare. He'd just seen everybody he cared about cruelly murdered. He knew it was only a dream, but the fear inside him refused to settle.  
Out of his mind's eye came the image of two pale, serene eyes. He stopped shivering and sweating. His heart rate calmed. Slowly, very slowly, the terror left by the dream began to fade.  
Those eyes. Luna's eyes. They'd haunted him for how many months now? Always bringing calm relief after his nightmares.  
He sighed. Another nightmare. And it was another nightmare that had been ended by Luna's eyes. He rolled over on his stomach, thinking. Maybe it was something to do with Legilimency? Maybe that calmness was something he could learn . . .or maybe it was just one of those Luna oddities. He was still tired but he didn't want to go back to sleep. A stupid thing, he thought. Scared to go to sleep because I had a nightmare. But he stayed awake anyway. He peaked through the curtains and judging by the light outside figured it must be almost 5 in the morning, maybe 4:30.  
He thought about the eyes again. Dumbledore's eyes seemed the same way sometimes, but not so much as Luna's. Maybe it was just something about an inner calm? He shook his head and sighed again.  
Suddenly he decided to take a look at the letter Lupin had sent, the one that had arrived on Christmas. The day it arrived he'd hardly been able to begin skimming it, but since then he'd felt a sort of dread regarding the letter and didn't touch it. Now he felt almost compelled to read it. It least it would give him something to do other than go back to sleep. He looked at the first line and realized the message would take some decoding.  
  
Dear James,  
Your letter came as something of a shock to me, despite my expecting it's eventual arrival for quite some time now. It is, however, something Snuffles and I both knew you would one day as, and as I said I have been expecting it especially since last year. I know your with your mother's sister was always miserable to say the least. I also know that you are now aware of Percival Wulfric's reasons for placing you in the care of your aunt and uncle, reasons I will not list here in case this letter should get intercepted.  
I will suffice to tell you that Snuffles was correct in his telling you that your aunt knows more than she lets on and certainly more than she will admit to even us. At the present I can say no more. Percival Wulfric will be arranging a time for you to meet with me and I will explain exactly what Snuffles meant at said time. Do not ask him about it, James, he will have no good answer for you. How much he knows and how much he tells are very different things. He does not always give his reasons.  
Your Friend,  
Professor Moony  
So, Dumbledore was going to arrange for him to meet with Lupin. Things weren't safe to be discussed in letters. Fair enough. He should write a response. As quietly as he could he took out ink, parchment, and a quill. He took a textbook to lean on and sat again on his bed.  
  
Professor Moony,  
Thank you for your letter. Do you remember the lessons I was taking with Professor Snivellus last year? I've been taking more extra classes this year. Special tutoring. I have at last moved on to the next stage. My teacher is excellent. She appears odd, but quite knowledgeable. I shall await Percival Wulfric's invitation to join you, sooner I hope rather than later as I am quite anxious for answers.  
Impatient as ever,  
  
Your Friend James  
  
That ought to do. He got out some wax and a candle and sealed the letter. He didn't bother with any of the security charms he knew (Luna had showed him some during their breaks from Legilimency, like the ones she had sealed the letter about Occlumency with).  
By now it was nearly six. Or close enough, almost quarter 'til. He considered just waiting around for Ron to get up, but it was Saturday; Ron would be asleep for a while yet.  
Harry got dressed and ready for the day quietly, so as not to wake those that had been fortunate enough not to have nightmares about the deaths of everybody they cared about. Harry noticed one thing though: in this dream, Cedric hadn't died.  
Often in any death dream Harry had, Cedric was one of the people that died. Normally Harry's dreams didn't include quite so many people dying. Usually it was restricted to people already dead, like his parents or Sirius or Cedric. But lately he hadn't been having nightmares about Cedric's death. Maybe all those talks with Luna had helped to some extent. He still felt guilty, sure, but it wasn't quite so bad anymore. It was two years ago and he was starting to move on. What was that one quote? Luna liked quotes. "Don't shed tears for the dead, or you'll be blind to the living". No, that wasn't it, but it worked too. There'd been several. Another had been something to the extent of, "You don't go to funerals for the dead, you go to comfort the living." There was nothing you could do for the dead, they were dead and gone. But the living, you went to make things easier for them or because you needed someone there to make things easier for you. He was still surprised at how much sense Luna made sometimes.  
He crept out of the dormitory and down the stairs to the common room. All was quiet. The fire had died in the night and the ashes were cold. Fire. He was reminded of Hermione burning at the stake and wanted to go back for his cloak, but he didn't. It was a dream, he reminded himself firmly, nothing more than a dream. A figment of my imagination. The worries of my subconscious.  
He took a final glance over his shoulder and exited the common room. He worked his way slowly to the Owlery. It was a Saturday and it seemed there was no one awake yet, no one awake and within sight at any rate. He stayed for a while in the Owlery, giving Hedwig some much needed attention before sending off the letter. It was hardly half past six yet but Harry went down to the Great Hall anyway.  
He was surprised to find that he wasn't the only one down there.  
Sitting at the Ravenclaw table were Luna and Ginny, talking quietly. Even from a distance he knew who they were. Ginny's hair was pulled out of her face in a tight ponytail. Luna was still wearing the necklace he'd gotten her, and her hair was again combed tamely rather than being its normal mess.  
Harry didn't want to sit alone at the Gryffindor table and feel like an idiot, so he approached the Ravenclaw table and stood across from the two girls.  
"You're awake early," he said casually, sitting down.  
"So are you."  
"I've been awake a while now. I had to send a letter."  
"We know. Dumbledore asked us to be here when you got back."  
"What? How?" How had Dumbledore possibly known Harry was sending a letter this morning? It was a Saturday; any student in his right mind was going to oversleep. And the last letter Harry had received was Lupin's and that was a week and a half ago. How had Dumbledore known? Lupin wouldn't even have the letter yet. "When did he tell you this?"  
"Last night. Why?"  
"I didn't even write the letter or even think of writing it until this morning."  
Ginny shrugged, "Dumbledore works in mysterious ways."  
"Yes he does," sighed Harry.  
Luna had been silent until now but she reached into her pocket and took out a letter. Sealed with wax and magic. The seal had been imprinted with the initials A.P.W.B.D. in fancy script. "He said to give this to you."  
Harry started to open it.  
She continued, "He said don't open it inside the castle-" Harry started heading for the exit, "-and said that we weren't to let you leave the castle until you'd had a proper breakfast."  
"But there's no food here."  
Luna clapped her hands once. Immediately more than enough food for the three of them appeared. "Eat."  
"I'm not really hungry." He remembered the images of his dream. Ginny trapped beneath that huge rock, her eyes bulging . . . and Luna decapitated, her hair stained with blood and her head rolling toward his feet . . . "I don't really feel like eating this morning, ladies. Thanks anyway." He tried to stand and found he couldn't.  
"We hexed it," said Ginny. "Dumbledore said to keep you from leaving at all costs. Said you'd need your energy today. So you'd better eat before we force-feed you."  
"You wouldn't dare," said Harry.  
A grin appeared on Ginny's face like the ones he had often seen the Weasley twins wearing. This was not good. Not good at all. "Wanna bet?" Ginny asked calmly. Luna had been putting food on Harry's plate. Ginny now took Harry's fork, loaded it with potatoes and tried to make Harry swallow. Of course, he didn't open his mouth. But Luna came around to the other side of the table to stand behind Harry and took both his wrists in just one of her hands to keep him from taking the fork away from Ginny, and used her other hand to pinch Harry's nose closed. He'd have to open his mouth if he wanted to breathe.  
"I suggest you open your mouth now," she said.  
Harry, having no choice in the matter, was force-fed his breakfast, because every time he opened his mouth to protest or say he'd feed himself, Ginny just jammed more food in.  
The whole time, Luna and Ginny had been chatting amiably above his head. "Yes, that Charms test was difficult, wasn't it?"  
"You know, Colin, right? Dismal at Charms, but excellent at Potions. Helps me with the work often." Ginny grinned.  
"Who do you go to for Herbology help?"  
"Neville Longbottom. Sixth year Gryffindor, you remember him from the D.A. meetings?"  
"Yes."  
Harry knew they were purposely speaking to vex him. He tried to remind Ginny that if she came anywhere near Neville in Ron's sight, Ron would probably go ballistic. Unfortunately Ginny just jammed more food in his mouth and kept talking. About half the food was gone from Harry's plate (which Ginny had refilled twice) and he finally managed to gasp between bites and swallows, "Ginny . . .Luna . . .I . . .can . . .feed . . .myself! Let . . .go . . .of . . .me! This . . .is . . .ridiculous!" He struggled again but Luna was surprisingly strong.  
A few minute's later, Luna said, "I think he's eaten enough."  
"If he eats anymore he might burst. Or throw up. Not pleasant." Ginny put down the fork, but made Harry swallow one more gulp of orange juice.  
Luna let go of his wrists and stopped pinching his nose.  
Harry's nose had gone totally numb. He tried to wrinkle it, getting some laughs from Luna and Ginny. He rubbed his hands and fingers, trying to get some life in them. He tried to stand and still couldn't. "What gives?"  
"Now it's our turn to eat. After all, we just spent all our time feeding you."  
"You didn't have to!"  
"Yes we did. Otherwise you might have tried to sneak off without us. Dumbledore said you needed your energy."  
"I can't sneak anywhere. I can't even get up."  
He waited another ten minutes or so for the girls to finish eating before they released the spell and walked him outside. "You don't have to follow me." He glared at them.  
"Yes, we do. Dumbledore's orders." Ginny grinned cheekily. It was barely after seven, only the early risers would just be getting up now. "We're your bodyguard."  
Harry stopped dead in his tracks. "You're joking, right?" It wasn't funny.  
"No."  
It was only then that Harry realized that Ginny walked in front of him, wavering to the sides like a semi-circle, and out of the corners of his eyes, it seemed Luna did the same. But they countered each other, so while one was on the left, the other was on the right and vice-versa. Certainly seemed guard-like behavior to him.  
"Where are you leading me anyway, Gin?"  
"To Hagrid's."  
"He won't be awake this early."  
"He will be today. Look at the smoke from his chimney. He's awake."  
Harry pouted a little; this was not a good day. First he'd had a nightmare, couldn't go back to sleep, had to be force-fed his breakfast, and now he had a guard with him just to walk him to Hagrid's! Some guard. Two fifth year girls. Big help, he thought sarcastically. Then he thought about just who the girls were. Okay, so they weren't defenseless little dolls, but still . . .it made him feel awfully helpless.  
Ginny knocked on Hagrid's door and it opened, revealing not only Hagrid standing by the door, but Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape sitting at the table.  
"We've been expecting you," said Dumbledore, much too pleasantly for so early in the morning.  
"That's funny. I wasn't expecting you. As a matter of fact, I wasn't expecting to be here at all. What's with the welcoming committee?" asked Harry. Apparently his miserable morning was going to get worse. His stomach felt uneasy; in his dream nearly all of these people had died.  
"Sit, 'Arry. I'll get yeh a cuppa tea." Harry sat and Hagrid brought him a large pewter mug.  
"I suppose at some point you're going to tell me why I'm here?" Harry took a sip of tea and it nearly burned his mouth.  
"You're here, Harry, because we needed to talk to you."  
"So, talk." Harry was in no mood to be polite. "And while you're at it, could you explain why you had to choose the two of IthemI two bring me here?" He nodded at Ginny and Luna. "You could have picked Ron and Hermione. Or IanybodyI else. Or even better, nobody at all."  
"We felt Miss Lovegood and Miss Weasley were best suited to the task. You aren't easy to persuade to do anything and we had a feeling it might take some persuading to get you here. These girls are as stubborn as yourself," said Professor McGonagall.  
"Why am I here?" repeated Harry.  
McGonagall's reply was frosty, making him think of the ice again. "We wish to speak to you. How are you Occlumency lessons going?"  
"Term doesn't officially start 'til Monday and the Occlumency lessons have not yet resumed. You are aware that I am studying Legilimency too this term, you gave permission for use of the room yourself. I've only had one lesson but my teacher says I've made progress."  
Snape glared at Harry, fiercely. "Who's teaching you Legilimency, Potter?"  
"I am," said Luna in her far off, dreamy voice.  
"Headmaster," Snape's voice was strained. "As much as it pains me to say this, I think Potter's tutoring should be my charge."  
Dumbledore's tone was calm, but firm. "Severus, I don't believe that would be wise. You and Mister Potter have too many unresolved personal issues. That is why Miss Lovegood has been able to make progress where you have not. At any rate, I suggest you both make amends at some not too future time. Harry, today is the scheduled date for you to go visit Remus Lupin. I thank you for not asking me about it sooner."  
"I didn't even read the letter until this morning. How did you know where I'd be, Professor?"  
"I am afraid I cannot tell you that, Harry."  
"You mean, you won't tell me. I don't doubt you could if you wanted to."  
The Headmaster sighed. "Minerva, please take Miss Weasley and Miss Lovegood back to the school and release the wardings we put on the house common rooms. Severus, you know where you are needed." McGonagall and Snape got up and left.  
"With all due respect, Professor Dumbledore, we're staying," said Ginny.  
Dumbledore asked, "Hagrid, is it all right if the girls stay here with you?"  
" 'Course they can."  
Luna said, "You misunderstand. We're not staying IhereI. We're staying with Harry."  
"No, you're not-" Harry began.  
"I really think you ought to stay here," Dumbledore said, quietly.  
"Professor!" started Ginny.  
"But I will let Harry decide. Though I must say, right now, your chances don't look to good." Dumbledore seemed almost amused.  
Harry decided to stall, partly because he wasn't sure and partly to make Ginny and Luna sweat a little. They deserved it for how they treated him this morning. Besides, he needed t ask this anyway. "Where are we going? Nobody made that clear."  
"To visit Remus Lupin."  
Luna's expression was far-off, seemingly not paying the slightest attention, but Harry suspected she listened to every word. Ginny's face seemed to be a mixture of a plea to take her with him and a threat of what would happen if he didn't. He momentarily wished again for Ron or Hermione. Maybe by some miracle they'd come now. No, Dumbledore had mentioned wardings; apparently until McGonagall removed them, no one else could leave the common rooms. Ginny and Luna. He sighed internally. He'd better take them. Who knew what type of mischief they'd get into if he didn't watch out for them?  
"He's decided to take us," there was finality in Luna's tone. She and Ginny both came and stood on either side of Harry.  
"How'd you know?" Harry whispered to Luna.  
"I could see it in your eyes." She didn't bother to lower her voice. "Besides, if we're not around, who knows what kind of mischief you'll get into?"  
Harry shook his head. "Sometimes, I swear, if it weren't for you, I'd lose my sanity. But times like this, I think you're the reason I'm going insane."  
"If the three of you are ready to leave, please approach the fireplace. The Floo powder is located in that pot on top of the fireplace. You are going to Versipellis Place."  
Harry stood in front of the fireplace and threw in a pinch of shimmering powder. "Versipellis Villa!"  
  
Okay, tell me what you think. ( I love reading all the reviews. This chapter was a little longer than most of them. I hope it was okay. Sorry about the preview, I know it's lame. I'll try and update soon but I've got to put a couple chapters up on my Artemis Fowl fic first. *  
  
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"Where's Dumbledore?" asked Harry.  
"He's not coming." 


	36. A History Lesson

Harry found himself standing in a cozy kitchen/living room. It appeared to be a kitchen for the most part, but with a sofa sagging against the wall beside a rather small table. The archway that led out of the kitchen/living room was suddenly occupied by a man with shabby robes and prematurely gray hair.  
"Harry, I've been expecting you."  
"Funny how many times I've heard that this morning."  
"Sit on the sofa there so the others have room to come in."  
Harry squeezed himself in, between the table and the sofa.  
Almost immediately, Ginny, closely followed by Luna, came in and sat on either side of him.  
"Where's Dumbledore?" asked Harry.  
"He's not coming."  
"I know we need to talk, Harry," said Lupin, bringing a teapot and four mugs. "Do you want the two of them here or would you rather talk alone?"  
Harry looked at Ginny on his left, and Luna on his right. If it would have been Ron and Hermione he would have been all for having them stay. But Ginny and Luna? He wasn't so sure. Wait, yes he was. He knew what to say. "They stay."  
"Alright. You want to know about your Aunt's past."  
"Yes. But first, about the letters. Some of those code names aren't safe if the letter fell into Pettigrew's hands. We'll have to think of new names. Please continue."  
"You're right. It may shock you to hear but your aunt and your mother used to get along, as much as most sisters get along at any rate. Your aunt was a year younger than your mum. Getting the letter from Hogwarts turned the world upside down for the entire family. It took some getting used to, but your grandparents decided it was a good thing they had a witch in the family. Petunia even looked forward to receiving a letter herself from Hogwarts. She studied Lilly's notes over the holidays, hoping and hoping to find out she was a witch too. You see, when she went to Hogwarts, Lilly found that she wasn't exactly a Muggle-born. Both of your grandparents were Muggles but your grandmother on your mother's side had a great-great-great- aunt who was an Epheet."  
"What's an Epheet?"  
"An Epheet gives up his or her magic of their own free-will. Making themselves a Muggle. In this case, your mother's great-great-great-aunt was a Muggle-born witch who decided to give up her powers."  
"That can be done?"  
"Yes. It's very difficult but if someone truly doesn't want his or her powers, it can be done. It takes six wizards and six witches working together and the person who is having his or her powers removed must truly and without a doubt wish them gone. An Epheet powers don't completely vanish however. The Epheet cannot use them, and neither can his or her children. But somewhere down the line, a descendent does inherit them. Your mother."  
"Why did my mum's great-great-great-aunt give up her powers?"  
"It's uncertain but there's evidence to believe that she was a Seer, a true Seer. Perhaps she saw something that disturbed her so greatly that she wanted to be forever done with magic and all else. She refused to tell anyone what she saw. In her sixth year she wrote a letter her Headmaster saying that she no longer wished to attend Hogwarts or having anything to do with magic or the magical community. She also said she wished to be without her powers. After much deliberation, a circle of wizards and witches was arranged and her powers removed. Albus Dumbledore had just started as the Hogwarts Transfiguration professor during her 6th year."  
"Does that mean my mum was a Seer?"  
"She might have been, but if she was it's a secret she took to her grave. Sometimes the Sight is there but does not develop until later on in life."  
"What about my aunt?"  
"I told you that Petunia studied Lilly's notes over the holidays. She saw what Lilly could do and desperately wanted to be a part of it. She was so disappointed when August just before Lilly's second year of Hogwarts and no letter came for her. She held out hope a little while, I believe, but eventually she began to tell herself that she didn't want to go to Hogwarts after all. Everyone who was there was a freak. It wasn't natural to be able to do those sorts of things. And so on. Eventually she began to believe it. Up through Lilly's third or fourth year Petunia still held out a glimmer of hope. Still, Lilly caught Petunia looking through her notes from Hogwarts and reading her textbooks at times even. Lilly pretended not to notice. The final straw for Petunia came when she found a picture of James. Her jealousy flared even worse then and she wouldn't even look through the notes. Apparently it was too much to bear for her that not only could Lilly do things she couldn't but she had a boyfriend first too; although Lilly still thought James an obnoxious prat at that time. She became obsessed with making everything normal. The summer after sixth year James appeared at your grandparents' home. Sirius and I waited in the car, thinking about what an idiot James was. We both knew your mum couldn't stand him. We saw Petunia open the door. She didn't realize James was the boy from the photograph the summer before. Or she didn't care. He was flirting with her. Sirius and I could tell that from the curb twenty feet away. We could tell he turned on the charm. She seemed like she was just going to let him in the door when Lilly came and stood with them. She looked furious. Later we made James tell us what she said. He said that she was shocked he had come. He told us that it shocked her because she never thought she'd have the honor of seeing him outside of school or being asked to go to Diagon Alley. But we knew the truth. She was furious at him for showing up when in her last letter she completely blew him off, and then when he came he started flirting with her little sister. Petunia was shocked. She was thinking along the lines of, 'This handsome, charming guy who flirted with me was a freak!' All the girls thought James was handsome."  
"Except my mum? She didn't even like him 'til seventh year."  
"She may not have liked his personality but Sirius slipped a truth potion into her drink one day. It wasn't a strong potion but she was later heard to admit that she found James Potter to be quite the hottie. Her words exactly. You know the saying 'If you can't beat them, join them'? She couldn't become a witch, so she couldn't join them. So she decided to beat them by being as unlike them as possible."  
"So that's why she tries so hard to be normal?"  
"Yes."  
"But then why does she remember stuff? Like the Dementors."  
"Because as much as she hates to admit it, it still fascinates her and she still wishes she was a part of it all."  
"How do you know all this?"  
"I was friends with Lilly and James for a long time, Harry. I was friends with Lilly before she was willing to tolerate James. In fact, Sirius used to tease James and I, saying that if James didn't watch out, I was going to get Lilly. But Lilly was just my friend and I knew how much James cared about her."  
"So my aunt doesn't really hate magic?"  
"Oh, she loathes it. She detests it. It's the reason she stopped being friends with her own sister. But she still wonders about it. It's been painful for her this year having so many protection spells on her house. Magic all around and she can't use any of it."  
"Oh."  
"And you, you were a constant reminder of what she was missing. You are a constant reminder. Not only did she miss out on magic, but also when she let that separate her from Lilly she missed out on knowing her sister anymore."  
"How did Uncle Vernon find out about magic? My aunt had no reason to tell him."  
"Well, she loves him and didn't want any secrets or lies from him. She kept in occasional contact with Lilly until she married James, two years after Hogwarts. Then she knew Lilly had decided that she was a witch through and through, not a Muggle. Petunia may have taken this to mean that Lilly thought that Muggles and the Muggle-world weren't good enough for her, but that's when the final schism between them happened. Petunia came to the wedding. Sirius saw her standing in the back of the room. But she left before Lilly could see her or anyone could say anything to her. That's really all there is to say. I have journals written by Lilly and James. When Lilly and James went into hiding the journals were giving to Sirius to hold for you. When Sirius was arrested, the journals went to Dumbledore. He returned them to Sirius last year but . . .after Sirius died they passed into my keeping."  
"Can see them?" Harry found his voice somewhat choked.  
"No, Harry. Your mother was handy at Charms. Flitwick's favorite student. She charmed the journals. If your hand opens them before your 18th birthday, they'll burst into flames. I remember once when Sirius and James switched her ink with disappearing ink before a History of Magic test, just so that Lilly would have to ask James for ink. After class she hexed the three of us. She turned our ears green and had PRAT written on our foreheads with some type of ink that wouldn't come off for a week."  
Harry looked up and saw that Remus's face was stained with tears. Harry had forgotten how hard it must before him to say all of this. He'd known them all longer and better than Harry had. Harry wasn't aware that he himself was crying until Luna reached up and wiped his eyes with her sleeve. "I-I-I-I think it's time I was getting back to school."  
"If you wish to return to Hagrid's hut, the Floo address is 'Hogwarts Gamekeeper's hut'." Remus embraced Harry as he came to the other side of the table. Harry hugged him right back, he needed it today.  
Harry whispered, "Thank you."  
"I wish there was more I could do than tell you stories," replied Remus.  
Ginny disappeared into the fire. Harry didn't want to let go. He'd lost his parents, he'd lost Sirius, Dumbledore and Lupin were really all he had left. What if he lost them too? He had Ron and Hermione. And Mrs. Weasley would always treat him as one of her own. But he still lacked a father. He let go and went through the fire. Luna followed directly after. Hagrid was waiting for them.  
Hagrid sensed Harry was having a hard time and gripped him in a bone crushing hug. "Yeh haven't come ter visit me much this year, 'Arry."  
"I've been-"  
"Busy. I know. Everyday it's somethin'. Quiditch, homework, or all those extra lessons. Just miss yeh, is all. I'm here when yeh need ter talk. Don't forget that."  
"I won't forget. I promise." Harry made a mental note to come back and visit as soon as he could. But right now he had to go talk to Ron and Hermione. Ginny and Luna escorted him silently back to the castle and back to Gryffindor Tower, Luna didn't leave them until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady in the pink dress. Ginny stayed with Harry until they found Ron and Hermione. Then she left him alone to talk with them. It was hard, but Harry told them as much as he could. By the end he was sitting between his two friends, crying silently again. Ron wasn't the most soothing of people in general and helped the only way he knew how, by shooing away anyone who came near Harry; but Hermione stroked Harry's hair as he lay his head down on her and said to him "there-there, it'll be alright" in a calm, reassuring, motherly voice. Harry let the tears slide down his face, finding comfort in them just as he felt child-like comfort sitting there with Hermione. Eventually Harry stopped crying and the three of them went down to dinner, very quiet all the while.  
  
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Author's Note: This was seriously the hardest chapter to write of any story I've ever written. That's said, I'd really appreciate reviews to tell me what you think. Was it at least semi-believable? I kind of wrestled a little bit trying to decide on Lilly and Petunia's pasts.  
  
I've kind of been ignoring Harry's classes for several chapters but I'll go back to those in the next chapter.  
  
The story might not be so mushy anymore. Today was my anniversary (1 year!) so I'm kind of off that romance kick I was on before but I'll still keep some in.  
  
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Now he looked at the note, blinked in surprise, and came over and put it in Harry's hand. He gave Harry's shoulder a slight squeeze, as though encouraging him, before returning to the lesson on heating charms.  
"Open the note, Harry!" Ron whispered urgently. 


	37. Called Out

Harry was sitting in Charms on Monday when suddenly he felt a sharp jab to his ribcage.  
"Earth to Harry."  
"What?" Harry asked, a little dazed.  
"You seem a bit distracted," Ron sniggered.  
Harry didn't admit it, but he was distracted. Luna had just walked in.  
Luna handed a note to Professor Flitwick and walked away as the Professor beamed and squeaked, "Thank you!" He fell off the pile of books he was standing on behind his desk. It had recently become common knowledge that Luna was one of Flitwick's favorite students-second only to Hermione. Now he stood up and looked at the note, blinked in surprise, and came over and put it in Harry's hand. He gave Harry's shoulder a slight squeeze, as though encouraging him, before returning to the lesson on heating charms.  
"Open the note, Harry!" Ron whispered urgently.  
Harry suddenly found himself reluctant to read it. If Flitwick thought he needed encouraging, it couldn't possibly be good. He opened it slowly. The writing was unfamiliar.  
  
Mister Potter,  
  
Please report to my classroom immediately. Bring your  
books and things with you, you shall not be returning to your  
current class.  
  
Professor Delano  
  
"What does it say, Harry?" asked Hermione.  
He showed her the note and began to pack his charms book and notes into his schoolbag. Hermione read the note and passed it to Ron.  
"What would she want with you, Harry?"  
"I don't know, but it can't be good." He stood up and walked out.  
The halls were silent and his footfalls seemed much too loud to his own ears.  
He paused, and then opened the door of Delano's classroom and was surprised-though he shouldn't have been-to find her class was 5th year Ravenclaws.  
"Mr. Potter, it's taken you long enough to arrive. We have been discussing Patronuses."  
"Really?" he tried to act surprised, figures this is what they'd call him in for.  
"Yes, and we are looking forward to a demonstration. I've been told you have experience in that area."  
He approached her.  
She spoke quietly. "In this cupboard we have a boggart. Your boggarts turn into Dementors, correct?"  
"Yes."  
"Good. When I open this cupboard, you'll perform the Patronus charm on the Dementor-boggart and I shall then vanish the boggart or lock it up again."  
He nodded and she opened the cupboard.  
Harry saw the Dementor-boggart approach. The coldness was beginning to start. He had to think of a happy memory. He saw Luna out of the corner of his eye. If he couldn't think of a happy memory Luna would see him mess up. That was not a happy thought. The Dementor-boggart came closer. The first happy thought that came to Harry's mind (it probably came because he could see her from where he was standing) was Luna kissing him at the station before Christmas. That was definitely a happy memory. He shouted, "Expecto Patronum!"  
A silvery stag erupted from his wand and charged down the Dementor.  
Professor Delano shut the boggart in the cupboard again.  
The class was fairly pleased with what Harry had done but Professor Delano seemed less than impressed; she made him repeat the spell a half dozen times before class ended.  
After class ended, Harry remained behind. "Why did you bother pulling me out of class when you already had a student here who could make a Patronus? I missed some difficult charms work." For that matter, why hadn't Delano demonstrated the charm herself?  
Luna had not left the room. She said in her dazed way, "Because I've never used a Patronus against a Dementor before. You have."  
"Oh. Professor, why didn't you do the charm yourself?"  
"This is highly difficult and advanced magic. I thought it'd be more of a confidence boost for the students if they saw another student performing the charm. I wouldn't want any of them discouraged. You seemed the obvious choice. Miss Lovegood will help you make up the work you missed today later on this evening."  
"Luna doesn't even know what we're learning, she's a year younger."  
Luna said something that Harry couldn't quite hear, but it took only a few second for him to realize his shoes were getting warmer and warmer until they were downright hot. She smiled blandly, "Heating charms are relatively simple." She muttered again, performing a cooling charm. "Cooling charm. You'll be working on that for your next charms class."  
"Miss Lovegood will be a more than adequate tutor. The Headmaster tells me that it's thanks to her you are progressing so well with Occlumency." This last sentence sounded a little stiff to Harry's ears. Obviously his lack of progress working with her was a sore spot, just as it had been with Snape. "Return to my classroom directly after dinner."  
"I have Quiditch practice."  
"Then don't make up the work. It's your grade that will suffer."  
"I'll come." He stalked out of the room angrily.  
  
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Okay, weird chapter. Let me know what you think. No preview this time unfortunately because I've only got the first 10 lines of the next chapter done and none of it would make a good preview. But I'll put the next chapter up soon as possible. 


	38. Charms

"So, Harry, what did she want?"  
"Patronus demonstration," he muttered.  
"What, she couldn't do it herself?"  
"She said it would help the other students' confidence at the charm later if they saw a fellow student perform it."  
"Oh."  
"Yeah. I have to miss practice today, Ron. She wants me back to make up my charms work." Harry rolled his eyes.  
"She's going to teach you the charm?"  
"No. She's bringing Luna in to do it.  
"You going to be okay with that?" asked Ron. He knew things were still a little odd between Luna and Harry-at least for Harry's part they were, Luna seemed her usual surface obliviousness.  
"Yeah. I managed fine at my Legilimency lesson the other day."  
"Good luck then, mate."  
Harry finished eating. "If I finish soon enough I'll come out to practice, okay?"  
"I'll let everybody know," said Ron.  
"Thanks. You run practice 'til I get there." He yawned.  
"If you get there."  
Harry was on his way to Delano's room when he saw Luna heading in the same direction and fell instep beside her. "Hi."  
"Hello, Harry."  
"Before we get to Delano's room, I was wondering, is that what you did to Zacharias?"  
"What?" Her expression suggested she already knew.  
"At the meeting in the Shrieking Shack. You set his feet on fire. Was it a heating charm?"  
"No."  
"Was it the same charm you used on Malfoy when we were on the train?"  
"Yes."  
"You're a fighter, aren't you? Not a meek little pacifist who pays no attention like everybody thinks."  
"Wow, you're brighter than you look."  
"What's that supposed mean?" He realized she had insulted him, but in a teasing sort of way.  
"Oh, nothing."  
"So will you tell me how to hex Malfoy like that?"  
She gave a small smile and looked at him, quirking an eyebrow. "I don't think so."  
"Why not?"  
Her smiled came to resemble something of a smirk and she patted his cheek. "We all have our secrets. I'm not telling. You're too much of a mystery for me to be the one to start answering the riddles." Immediately her dreamy countenance and usual voice returned, "I wonder where she is."  
They'd entered Delano's room, only to find she hadn't come yet.  
"We'll start anyway." She began to explain the charm and demonstrated on a fork she'd brought up from dinner. Harry held it in his hand and as she performed the charm it began to heat until he had no choice but to drop it.  
Harry had been practicing, though the fork heated Luna never flinched, and Delano finally came in.  
"Sorry," she didn't sound sorry, "I was at a meeting. How are things going? Any problems?"  
"No," Harry answered.  
"I was addressing the young lady."  
"He's doing fine. He's a bright boy," Luna's voice as usual made it sound as though her mind was elsewhere.  
Harry was determined to find out Delano's real reasoning for pulling him out of class to do a spell that she could easily do herself. "Aren't fifth years a little young to be learning Patronuses? Professor Lupin told me they were well above O.W.L. level."  
"Indeed. To quote a great man, 'Desperate times call for desperate measures'. We are in hard times and all children of this school-you included, Potter-must learn to be more than they are, or in your case more than you are. That's what life's all about."  
"I thought life was about existing miserably for a few years and then dying," he said, annoyed and in no mood to philosophize with the woman.  
"You shouldn't take this so lightly, child. You have a great responsibility to the world."  
"I know and I don't want it," he said.  
"You don't have a choice," Professor Delano replied coolly.  
"But nobody ever asked me first," he shot.  
"You have to take what life deals you," her tone was now like ice.  
"But he doesn't have to take it all now," said a firm voice from the doorway.  
Harry looked and saw Professor Dumbledore.  
"Albus, life has dealt him a cruel card but he has to face it as much as any of us do."  
"But he doesn't have to face it yet. Certainly not tonight." There command in the Headmaster's voice that Harry had rarely heard. He became jovial again. "Come, Harry. I'm sure you want to get to Quiditch practice."  
"No, thank you, Professor," Harry said with as much politeness as he could muster. "I- I think I'm just going to go back to the common room. I've got a lot of homework. And I'm tired."  
"Quite understandable, Harry. Jenny, a word?"  
Harry and Luna left. Harry didn't even bother to come up with some excuse that would allow him to eavesdrop: he didn't have the energy for it. He made his way up to Gryffindor Tower, unsure as to why he was so exhausted. Sure his schedule was a little full but it wasn't really that bad. Quiditch three nights a week, D.A. one night, extra lessons 2 nights, and homework another. That shouldn't be this bad. What was wrong?  
He entered the common room and Hermione looked up from her studying, "Hello Har-what's wrong, Harry? You look awful."  
He didn't bother answering her and instead stumbled up to the boys' dormitory and collapsed on top of his bed in total unconsciousness.  
  
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Okay, I hope I answered the thing about Lupin and the Patronus being more than OWL level. The truth is, I forgot, I knew it was that advanced. A few chapters ago somebody mentioned that I had kind of been neglecting Hagrid (which I had) but that's 'cause I forgot he was alive. (He isn't in my other fic). But anyway thanks for the reviews they're really helping my writing. I'll try and post the next chapter soon.  
  
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"So? He's been asleep 18 hours, shouldn't he wake soon?"  
"If you wake him, Ronald Weasley, I will have to hurt you!" whispered Hermione. 


	39. Waking Up Without Answers

Harry heard voices whispering. "Ssh! Be quiet or you'll wake him."  
"So? He's been asleep 18 hours, shouldn't he wake soon?"  
"If you wake him, Ronald Weasley, I will have to hurt you!" whispered Hermione.  
"It's still weird you're in here," said Seamus's voice, a little uncomfortably.  
"Well, tough luck. I can't rely on you lot to take proper care of him."  
"Yeah, but why does she have to be here too?" asked Dean.  
"I'm here because you can't expect Hermione to have to do everything on her own."  
Harry hadn't opened his eyes yet. At first, on hearing the whispering he thought he must be in the hospital, but now it didn't sound like it. He opened his eyes and realized he was still in his own bed.  
"What time is it?" he asked.  
"2 in the afternoon. You've been asleep since about 8 last night."  
Harry looked around to see who was in the room with him. Dean, Neville, Seamus, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. It suddenly occurred to Harry that this was the boys' dormitory. What were the girls doing here?  
Hermione sensed his unasked question. "I thought you were acting oddly so I sent Ron up to check on you as soon as he got in from Quiditch practice."  
"You were pale and shivering. Lying half off your bed. Thought you might fall. Couldn't wake you at all. We tried everything. Reviving spells. A wake up potion. I was beginning to think you wouldn't wake until Luna came and woke you with a kiss."  
"She didn't, did she?" He was horrified at the thought of him being up here, unable to wake up, and having Luna come up here and kiss him awake. That would be embarrassing.  
"No." Ron snickered.  
"So what happened?" asked Harry, realizing that Ron must be telling the truth because Harry couldn't see any sign of Luna anywhere.  
"Well when Ron came back down and told me how you were, we had to help. So we came here and did what we could to help."  
"We?" asked Harry.  
"Ginny and I," said Hermione.  
"We're not exactly thrilled to have them here, Harry," said Seamus.  
"But they won't leave until you're better."  
"I'm awake. That's better, isn't it?"  
"But we don't know what caused you to fall asleep in the first place."  
"I'll leave you boys alone," Hermione said. "I'm going to do some research and see what I can find out." Hermione started for the door.  
"Take IherI with you!" said Dean, giving Ginny a shove in Hermione's direction.  
Ginny sniffed angrily and stalked out after Hermione.  
Harry asked, "Er, what are people going to think when they see the two of them come out of the boys' dormitories?"  
Seamus shrugged. "A lot of them saw them run up here yelling at us that we don't know how to take care of sick people."  
"But what did make you tired, Harry?" asked Neville. "18 hours is a long time."  
"I don't know. I was just leaving Delano's classroom, she had me there making up charms work, and I felt exhausted."  
"Harry, are you feeling well enough to leave? We don't want to the girls to come back in here."  
"Sure." Harry put some fresh clothes on and went down to the common room with Ron.  
"Where'd Hermione go?"  
Ron responded, "Knowing her? I'd say the library."  
They went in search of her and found several large piles of books on one of the tables in the library. So large that they completely obscured the view of the person sitting behind them.  
"Hermione, is that you back there?" asked Ron, pushing apart two piles of books.  
"Oh, good! You're here. Help with this research." She shoved a pile toward each of them and they sat down.  
"What exactly are you researching?" asked Harry, looking at the books. "Things book seem to cover everything from Slowstone to Hypnosis."  
"I'm trying to find out what caused your problem last night. Who was there?"  
"Just Luna and Delano. And Dumbledore."  
"Well, what were you talking about?"  
Harry relayed the conversation as accurately as he could and finished by saying, "And that was it. She was bugging me about my destiny and what I had to do and Dumbledore just told her 'Not yet'. Then he asked if I wanted to go up to Quiditch practice. That's when I got tired and went to the common room."  
"Do you think Dumbledore might have done something to make sure you got a good night's rest? Cast a charm or something?" asked Hermione.  
"If it was a spell, it probably went wrong. I can't see him trying to put me to sleep for 18 hours. Then again, I can't see him messing up a spell either."  
"Maybe it was an allergic reaction to something. A potions ingredient from earlier in the day mixed with maybe a perfume Delano was wearing?"  
"She wasn't wearing anything that I could smell," said Harry.  
"Maybe he hypnotized you," said Ron eagerly.  
"I don't think so."  
"How would you know? Have you ever been hypnotized before?"  
"No," said Harry.  
"Then how do you know you weren't?"  
"Er . . ." said Harry. They stayed in the library researching until dinnertime. After dinner Ron and Harry went to Quiditch practice and Hermione returned to the books. By the time the boys got back from practice, she was still no closer to an answer.  
  
Okay, sorry, no real answers in this chapter but I promise the answers will be in the next one. Preview *  
  
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She was sitting on McGonagall's desk as usual, but her legs weren't swinging carefree as the usually did and her face was sad. Harry could rarely recall seeing her sad or upset. Normally her face was an unreadable mask; though sometimes he saw a glimmer of emotion, usually happiness. Now he was concerned and confused. He walked toward her and repeated, "What's wrong?" 


	40. Answers Full of Tears

Now that term had fully started again, Harry's one on one lessons with Luna were moved back to Wednesday night (like they'd been in first semester) and the group Occlumency lessons were Fridays.  
Wednesday night Harry came to McGonagall's room as usual. He put down the book he'd been carrying and greeted Luna warmly.  
"Hey, how's my favorite Legilimenist doing?" he asked brightly. He looked at her and his face fell. "What's wrong, Luna?"  
She was sitting on McGonagall's desk as usual, but her legs weren't swinging carefree as the usually did and her face was sad. Harry could rarely recall seeing her sad or upset. Normally her face was an unreadable mask; though sometimes he saw a glimmer of emotion, usually happiness. Now he was concerned and confused. He walked toward her and repeated, "What's wrong?"  
"Ginny told me. I'm sorry."  
He asked slowly, "What did she tell you?"  
"It's my fault." She sounded sadder than before.  
"What's your fault, Luna? To the best of my knowledge you haven't done anything wrong."  
"It's my fault you missed all your classes yesterday."  
"Your fault?" he asked, perplex.  
"It wasn't fair the way Delano was talking to you on Monday. I agree with Dumbledore. You may have to face all the problems of the world but you don't have to face them yet."  
"Soon enough I will," he said gently.  
"But not yet! So I thought you'd get a better night's sleep if you didn't have to think about all of that. But I messed the spell up a little bit. I made it too strong."  
"That's okay. Really." Harry was shocked to realize she was crying. "Luna . . ." He desperately tried to think of something, anything, that would calm her down. He awkwardly patted her on the shoulder but she only cried more. "Don't cry, please don't cry," he said. Telling her not to cry obviously didn't work (stupid Harry didn't realize that it never works and telling someone not to cry almost always made the crying worse), so he did the only other thing he could think of. He gave her a hug and rocked gently back and forward until she quieted down.  
She had been clinging to him and let go, wiping her nose and eyes on her sleeve. "I'm sorry," she whimpered.  
Even the thought of Luna whimpering was funny. Luna wasn't the sort of girl who whimpered; then again she wasn't the sort who cried either. She was the sort of girl who would totally kick your butted if you vexed her (kind of like Ginny), and she was somebody who hex you without twitching a muscle about the decision or showing any change of facial expression. Harry did the natural thing and laughed.  
"You're laughing at me," she pouted.  
Harry had never seen Luna pout before. She pretty out of character tonight. She must feel miserable. Harry thought about protesting that he was not laughing at her but that wouldn't help, and it'd be a lie besides. He decided on a different path. "Way to go, Captain Obvious."  
She gave a little laugh. "Okay, we've wasted enough time I guess. You know I'm sorry right?"  
"And you know there's nothing to forgive?"  
She smiled and nodded. "Time to work then."  
Because of her crying earlier, Luna was distracted enough that Harry did quite well with his Legilimency for a while. Unfortunately she did manage to recoup enough to give him plenty of trouble again.  
By the end of their hour of practice, Harry was exhausted, but no more exhausted than after the previous Legilimency lesson. They said their goodbyes and returned to their houses. Harry found Hermione hunched over a library book. He tapped her on the shoulder. "Good news. Mystery solved."  
"What?"  
Harry sat down. "Luna confessed to the whole thing. She said that she didn't want me up half the night worrying about the future but that the sleeping spell she put on me went wrong and was too powerful. She said she didn't mean for it to happen."  
"Oh." She was slightly miffed; she'd spent many hours researching but he just waltzed in with the answers.  
Harry sensed this and said, "C'mon. I'll help you carry these back to the library. If we hurry we can get there before it closes."  
He seemed to have said the right thing for once because she seemed somewhat less annoyed.  
  
Sorry I didn't post this last night. I didn't have time. What do you think?  
  
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For a couple of weeks, Harry's life seemed to be going well. Harry's past was unhappy and his future looked as bleak as ever, but for the present, he was happy. Unfortunately, happiness for anyone is only a temporary thing and this was especially true for Harry. His happiness was short-lived. 


	41. No Blue Skies or Sunshine

For a couple of weeks, Harry's life seemed to be going well. Harry's past was unhappy and his future looked as bleak as ever, but for the present, he was happy. Unfortunately, happiness for anyone is only a temporary thing and this was especially true for Harry. His happiness was short-lived.  
Within two weeks of Luna's crying in front of Harry, things started to go sour.  
First, was Quiditch. With only a week left until the game, one of the Chasers broke his wrist during practice. Then the two Beaters (idiots that they were) collided with each other and didn't come out in very good shape. They lost the game against Ravenclaw.  
Next, Professor McGonagall gave the class a pop quiz. They'd walked in to find the test parchments waiting on their desks. Harry (as well as nearly everybody else) failed. It didn't help that it wasn't even really McGonagall, for some reason or other she wasn't there that day and Snape was subbing for her.  
Hermione confronted Muriel at the most recent D.A. meeting to accuse her of not properly doing her job. Hermione had said that Muriel hadn't brought in any substantial Death Eater rooms since she'd been forced to join. Muriel's angry reply had been that there was nothing to report. After all, she was just a first year, the snotty 6th years (Harry and his friends had been particularly hoping to discover something about Malfoy) didn't talk to lowly first years such as herself. Hermione had then accused her of not trying hard enough. It was only just barely that Harry, Ron, Ginny, Luna, and Marcus together had managed to prevent a duel from starting between the two girls then and there and allow everyone to getting back to learning about the tripping jinx.  
Just about the only thing that was going right were Harry's Legilimency lessons (and his Occlumency lessons), but even those weren't enough to calm his nerves, which were already stretched to the breaking point. Harry found himself on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Days were endless and nights were restless. He found himself lying awake, pondering the day's events and wondering what would come of tomorrow. Where was Voldemort? What was he doing? What was the Order doing to stop him? What had his parents written in their journals that they didn't want their son to see? All these thoughts tumbled through Harry's edgy mind, as he tossed and turned.  
  
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Harry had just come into the common room from another Legilimency lesson. He saw Hermione, Ron, Neville, Ginny, Seamus, Dean, Lavender, Parvati, Colin, Dennis, and Marcus huddled together talking to one another. Harry walked nearer, quietly so as not to be heard. He wondered what they were all talking about that they looked so worried. He listened.  
"I've noticed it too, Hermione. He's really strained. I think you're right. WE've got to find some way to help," said Neville.  
"But what are we going to do? If he realizes we're trying to help, he'll just pull away from us," said Colin.  
Harry had a pretty good idea about just who they were discussing and why he had been so carefully excluded from the conversation. Harry watched them talk and noticed that Ginny was sitting between Neville and Colin. He wasn't sure when it happened but seeing Ginny and Colin sitting there he realized that Colin wasn't an annoying little second year anymore than Ginny was just Ron's baby sister. If they were talking about who Harry was sure they were talking about, then Colin was rather insightful. Gosh, it seemed like only yesterday he was running up to Harry in the corridor saying, "Hiya, Harry!" But Colin wasn't the same anymore. Harry tried not to grin when he noticed that Colin kept glancing at Ginny. The two of them might have made a cute couple if Ginny wasn't already dating Neville.  
Hermione sighed, "You're right about that, Colin. But we've got to do I something /I He's killing himself."  
"Where is he" asked Lavender. Her back was toward Harry and he remained unnoticed. He was only standing a few feet behind her.  
Hermione replied easily, "Tutoring."  
"What subject? My grades could use some work."  
"Oh, he's not tutoring someone, someone else is tutoring him. You don't take that class."  
"Oh. Well why aren't you the one helping him study? You're the smartest person in our year. Top marks."  
Hermione grimaced-Luna being able to help Harry when she herself couldn't was still something of a sore spot-but Ginny quickly responded, "The person tutoring him isn't in your year, Lavender. He had to go for outside help." She leaned closer to Lavender and Parvati and added in a confidential whisper, "It's a Ravenclaw."  
Lavender and Parvati nodded sympathetically thinking it must be hard for Hermione to have to admit that somebody else was smarter and able to help when she couldn't.  
Harry had to admire Ginny and Hermione's word skill. They'd made it sound as though Harry was being tutored by an older student and they hadn't actually lied once. Luna wasn't in their grade, she was a Ravenclaw, and Lavender wasn't taking Occlumency.  
Ron spoke, "He'll be back anytime now."  
"You're right, we better-Harry!" Hermione suddenly noticed him.  
"Oh, hi, Hermione. I just got here. What's everybody talking about? You're all huddled together like it's a secret meeting or something. Anything I should know?"  
"Of course not," said Hermione. "We were, er-"  
"We were just talking about the D.A. Wondering why You-Know-Who has been so quiet," said Neville, helpfully.  
Harry saw Hermione give Neville a tiny smile of gratitude, but Harry ignored it. "Yeah. Really quiet. Probably planning something. Deadly." With those ominous words, Harry left the rest of them. 


	42. Trying to Help

"Harry, I was thinking, you should probably just skip tonight's D.A. meeting. I can run it," said Hermione.  
"Why do you think I should skip it?"  
"You've got a really hard Transfiguration test tomorrow."  
"So? You do too."  
"But I've already studied."  
"You always say you can never study too much."  
"Well, you need to study and I already know the information. One of us has to run the meeting."  
"What's your real reasoning? You plotting something without me?" He locked eyes with her, hoping to get an honest answer.  
There was a pause before she broke away from his gaze and said, "You look tired is all. Almost sick. It's not healthy." She looked very upset, near tears.  
"It'd really make you feel better if I didn't come?" he asked.  
She nodded. "We care about you, Harry."  
"Who's this 'we'?"  
"Your friends. That's who. We care. I care, Ron cares, Ginny and Neville care. Luna cares."  
Harry's face turned slightly pink.  
"Harry, take a look at yourself." She took out a small mirror and made Harry gaze into it. He saw that there were deep shadows under his eyes and his face was rather drawn and pale. "You aren't healthy. Get some rest and don't run yourself into the ground like this. If I lose my best friend . . ." She shrugged and Harry could see the pain in her face.  
"Okay. Alright, Herms. I'll stay here and be a good little boy."  
She gave him a hug and followed the others who were on their way to the meeting.  
He sighed. At least his suspicions were confirmed. It was him they'd been talking about on Wednesday. It fit in with the fact that Hermione had been offering him more help than usual the last few days on his homework and Ron had insisted they end practice early. (Ron had asked, "Harry, I'm exhausted. Aren't we done yet?" several times before Harry gave in).  
  
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Harry found himself restless again. It was barely nine. They should be back at any moment. He paced in the common room. Why weren't they back yet? Harry heard a muffled voice and was surprised to find it came from his pocket.  
He pulled out the magic mirror and gazed at it.  
He had stuck it in his pocket earlier, just after Hermione had left. Hoping that they might let him in on the meeting that way.  
Luna's face stared back at him. "We've got news."  
"I'll be right there."  
"No. Don't come."  
"Why shouldn't I come?" He wondered if there was something they didn't want him to know. Odds were, there probably was something.  
"Because Hermione and Ron don't want you to come."  
"I'm coming." He started for the door.  
"I don't want you to come."  
This made him stop again. "Why not?"  
Luna seemed oblivious to the hurt tone in his voice. "Because we have things to discuss and we don't want you here. Promise me, Harry."  
"What?"  
"Promise me you won't come. All of us discussed it and decided you'd be least likely to break a promise to me. Swear it, Harry."  
"I . . .I . . ." he faltered. He really wanted to know what was going on. He could promise and break his promise. No, that's wrong. Why was it wrong? He'd broken promises before. But not to Luna. He couldn't stand here and lie to her. It was wrong. Very wrong. He didn't meet her eyes as he muttered, "I will."  
"Harry, look me in the eyes and say it."  
He didn't want to be he brought his eyes back to the mirror and Luna's eyes locked with his. He couldn't escape her stare. He gulped. "I promise I'll stay here."  
"Good. We'll tell you the news in the morning."  
"You'd better."  
"Maybe we'll tell you the news if you don't have an attitude problem." Luna's face vanished from the mirror and Harry was left staring at a reflection of himself. He glowered and stuffed the mirror back in his pocket. Was it possible for the circles around his eyes to have gotten worse in the last 2 hours?  
He started pacing again and glaring at anyone who looked at him. Several first years shivered or gave slight screams and ran away when he glared at them. He took one of the chairs in front of the fire and fell into a drowsy sleep, unaware that Ron and the other Gryffindors from the D.A. had just entered the common room and tiptoed by him carefully so as not to wake him-Hermione conjured a blanket as she passed and draped it over him.  
  
A/N: Okay, so what did you think? Was anybody wondering when I was going to bring back those mirrors and let somebody actually use them? *guilty*I forgot about them 'til I wrote this chapter actually. I'll post the next chapter when I get some reviews. For now, it's preview time!  
  
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Harry stomped over pulled open the hangings of Ron's bed and took his blanket from him and repeated his question loudly, "WHY didn't any of you wake me up?" He then proceeded to open the hangings around Neville, Seamus, and Dean's beds, letting in a lot of early morning light they were in no mood to face. 


	43. The News

Harry woke up in a foul mood. His temper wasn't improved when he found his back was quite sore from the way he'd been slumped over in the chair. He stood up and stretched, trying to get all the kinks out of his back. He stormed up to his dormitory. "WHY didn't any of you wake me up?" All four of his roommates were in the D.A., so chances were that they'd seen him sitting in the chair when they came in. Somebody had put that blanket over him after all.  
"Nnng? Whawas'at, Harr?" asked Ron.  
Harry stomped over pulled open the hangings of Ron's bed and took his blanket from him and repeated his question loudly, "WHY didn't any of you wake me up?" He then proceeded to open the hangings around Neville, Seamus, and Dean's beds, letting in a lot of early morning light they were in no mood to face.  
"What are you babbling about?" asked Neville, crossly.  
"Hmph!" Harry threw a pillow at him. "So what's the news? Luna said you got information last night."  
They were wide-awake now and looking very apprehensive. "She said not to tell you."  
"She made us swear."  
"She said if we tell, all our hair is gonna fall out and tattle will be written across our foreheads. Permanently."  
"She who? Luna?" Harry could just barely see Luna making threats of this sort.  
"No. Hermione."  
"Hermione? So that's the jinx she put behind the paper." He remembered the paper they decided they'd all have to sign.  
"No. That's something else entirely. She just said that if we told she'd do this to us in addition to whatever she's got in store for us from that parchment we had to sign."  
"You're all a bunch of babies," Harry said disgustedly, getting dressed. "Honestly."  
"Hey!" said Neville, clearly offended. "If it had been anybody but Hermione I wouldn't have taken them seriously."  
Dean added, "Or Luna."  
Seamus nodded his head vigorously. "We know the two of them can do damage."  
Ron added, "Ginny too."  
"Yeah," said Neville. "Ginny and Luna were both endorsing Hermione's threats."  
"They volunteered to personally assist Hermione in hunting down whoever told you."  
"But you might find it in the Prophet this morning. Or next."  
Harry left, muttering to himself, still doing the last few buttons on his robe. Those three girls had a lot of explaining to do.  
He saw Ginny and Hermione sitting at the table and went to them. "You've got some explaining to do. Start now."  
They glanced at each other and seemed to have a whole wordless conversation.  
"Well?" he said impatiently, taking a seat.  
Ginny used her most innocent voice, but refused to meet his eyes. "Well what?"  
"What did you find out at the meeting last night? I assume Ree was finally able to bring some news worth hearing?"  
"I- I didn't listen all that well to what she was saying," Ginny said.  
"The two of you threatened anybody who even thought about telling me what she said. Spill." He looked from one to the other.  
Hermione seemed nearly in tears. "I can't tell him, Gin. I can't."  
"I won't. Don't make me do it, Hermione. I don't want to be the one to tell him either."  
  
"One of us has to tell him. We've got everybody scared stiff."  
Ginny's eyes gleamed. "Not everybody." Her eyes flickered to the Ravenclaw table. "Her. Harry tell her to tell you. Say we said it was alright."  
Harry wasn't sure he wanted to hear whatever had gotten the two of them so worked up, but he nodded and went to the Ravenclaw table. He saw a familiar blonde sitting at the table and facing away from him.  
But even from behind, he knew it was her. He was about to say something but she spoke first.  
"Hello, Harry."  
"How did you know it was me?"  
"I could feel you like an approaching storm." She still hadn't turned around.  
"Like a storm?"  
"Yes. Sit."  
Awkwardly, he sat down next to her. There were a few empty seats on either side of her so it wasn't as though there was a space problem; it was just a little odd to be sitting at another house's table. It was different from when he'd sat here and it was just Ginny and Luna.  
"There's something in the air, when you know a storm is on its way. Anger and malice, but above all else, power. You're dreadfully upset about something." She ate another spoonful of oatmeal. "Eat."  
Harry had no appetite. "Care to take a guess at why I'm so upset?"  
"Not really." She smiled placidly.  
Harry was sorely tempted to take out his wand and threaten to jinx her but considering her own capabilities with a wand and the number of teachers present it was better not to. "Hermione and Ginny said you would tell me about what Ree said last night. They seemed too upset to tell me anything and the guys in my dormitory were too terrified to say anything. It seems you're the only one left. Tell me."  
"No. I don't believe I will." She ate three more spoonfuls of oatmeal.  
"Why not?" This girl was maddening. Far worse than Cho. He saw Cho sitting about a dozen seats away.  
"Because." She sipped her orange juice. "You aren't being very polite."  
By now, several Ravenclaws were watching the scene with mild interest. Not only was there a Gryffindor sitting at their table, but the Gryffindor was Harry Potter and he seemed to be having some sort of discussion or argument with Looney Lovegood. Maybe the day would provide some entertainment after all.  
Harry turned away from the people watching him and gritted his teeth. "Will you please tell me what she said?"  
"Yes."  
Harry waited but she didn't say anything else. "Well?"  
"I'll tell you later. This isn't something you want to hear with so many people present." She took a spoonful of oatmeal and poured it over her toast.  
Harry glared. "Tell me now. Just lower your voice and then it won't matter."  
She blinked. "Are you sure?"  
Suddenly he wasn't sure. Maybe she was right. He'd caused too much attention already. But he had to know. "Tell me."  
She took another slow bite of her oatmeal on toast before she nodded. Harry waited impatiently while she swallowed some orange juice. Then she leaned toward him and whispered in his ear, "Muriel said that she overheard Draco speaking with an older student. He received a letter from his father. Apparently Pettigrew and Lucius Malfoy were out torturing Muggle-borns recently. They got two of them. Nymphadora Tonks and a friend of hers."  
Harry was horrified. "Tonks? Is she . . .?"  
She put a reassuring hand on his arm. "No," she whispered. "She's not dead. Someone happened to be in the right place at the right time and the Death Eaters left. But she isn't in good shape. Her friend is okay but Tonks will be in St. Mungos for a couple of days at least."  
Harry bit his lip to keep from saying anything, but then it started to bleed. "Pettigrew." His eyes blazed. "Why wasn't it in the paper?"  
"They've got a connection with the Daily Prophet. We aren't sure who it is."  
She patted his hand again and backed away enough so that she could look him in the eyes. She didn't whisper anymore but she still spoke quietly. "You understand why no one wanted to say anything?"  
He nodded and clenched his fists.  
"And you understand why we couldn't let the boys say anything to you?"  
He nodded again.  
"Then you better get to class. Meditate on your way if you can. Otherwise you won't get anything done."  
Harry nodded and went back to the Gryffindor table, pausing only long enough to tell Ron and Hermione that he was heading over to Charms early. Harry was dreading it. The Gryffindors had double-charms with Ravenclaw.  
As he walked away from the table he heard Hermione sigh, "At least he knows now."  
Harry was the first person to arrive in Charms. Generally Harry liked the class but today he sat in the back. He didn't want to have to talk to anyone he didn't have to.  
Ron and Hermione were among the first there after him, they sat on either side of him, anticipating that he might need comfort.  
Terry took the seat in front of Harry and turned around, "What were you doing at our table today?"  
Harry ignored him.  
"Why were you talking to Looney Lovegood? Since last year she's gotten stranger than usual."  
Harry ignored him again.  
"Is it about what they wouldn't tell us last night?"  
This time Harry responded. "What do you mean?"  
"Muriel. She wouldn't tell us everything last night."  
Ron and Hermione made shushing noises at Terry.  
Terry just said, "The two of you didn't tell him? I thought the three of you talked about everything. No wonder he was talking to Looney this morning. He must have been desperate to find out something. Next time just talk to me."  
The seat next to Terry was empty so Harry went and sat there instead. "What exactly did Muriel say?"  
"Just that there'd been an attack on 2 Muggle-borns, or part Muggles but that it wasn't getting reported because it turns out You-Know-Who has connections in the Prophet and didn't want it out yet. Then she talked to Looney, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny privately. Wouldn't tell the rest of us what else she said. All she said was that those were boring details we didn't want to hear. I can't believe they didn't tell you."  
Harry looked back at Ron and Hermione; they looked worried. He sighed. "The details are hard on me. More on me than anybody else. They were trying to protect me."  
"Why harder on you?"  
"Because one of the Death Eaters was the man who betrayed my parents."  
"I did hear something about that over the summer. The Prophet said that Black was innocent of all charges and that the real culprit was most likely the wizard they thought he killed."  
"Yeah. Pettigrew was one of the Death Eaters that Muriel was talking about."  
"Rumor says that Black was your godfather. Is that true?"  
"Yes." Even after so many months it still hurt to hear Sirius's name used in the past tense like that.  
"Then why'd he try to kill you back in third year?"  
"He didn't. It's too complicated to explain to you." Harry changed his mind. He didn't want to talk to Terry after all. He went back and sat between Ron and Hermione again. Class started and there was no more time for talk.  
  
A/N: Okay this one is longer. I hope you like it. Sorry Harry's kind of moody but that's how he is, I s'pose. I'm not sure exactly why I chose Terry for Harry to talk to. Hmmm. Thanks for all the reviews. The next chapter will go up when you tell me what you think of this one. For now, it's preview time!  
  
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Harry opened the door and discovered Dumbledore was standing there wearing purple pajamas with shooting stars on them. Harry stared for a second. "Er, Professor?" 


	44. Talkin' with Tonks

I'm really sorry it's been so long since I updated but last week I had play practice 'til almost midnight every night and then shows all weekend. Then this week I had to catch up on all my homework and I've got 4 shows this weekend. But besides that I couldn't figure out the details of the attack, but I've got it sorted out anyway. Here's the next chapter. I'll try to post the next one as soon as I can. Please read and review!  
  
Harry sighed. Why did life have to be so difficult? It was finally Saturday again and he had arranged with Dumbledore to go visit Tonks. Hermione and Ron had offered to come too but Harry said he'd rather go alone, so they were making their own visit to her later on. He got dressed and was standing in front of the gargoyle that guarded Dumbledore's office by 7.  
"Chocolate frogs." The gargoyle sprang aside and let him in. Harry knocked on the door to the office.  
"Come in!" came Dumbledore's jovial voice.  
Harry opened the door and discovered Dumbledore was standing there wearing purple pajamas with shooting stars on them. Harry stared for a second. "Er, Professor?"  
"Ah, yes, Harry, I shall be ready directly. Allow me a moment to go and change. I didn't get up as early as I anticipated this morning. There's some breakfast for you on my desk." He went through the door that led to his living space.  
Fawkes fluttered to Harry's shoulder and began to sing to him while Harry ate and waited for Dumbledore.  
Dumbledore came back out.  
"Professor, how are we getting to St. Mungos?"  
"Hagrid has readied a pair of threstles for us. You never know who is monitoring the Floo network."  
"What if some Muggle sees us?"  
"That's the reason we are leaving so early. It should be dark enough that we go unseen. You've brought your cloak I trust?"  
"Yes, sir." It wasn't his invisibility cloak, that would be virtually useless while flying, but an ordinary school cloak to keep him warm.  
"Then we shall go meet Hagrid. He is waiting by his house for us." Fawkes returned to his perch and the Headmaster and his pupil made their way down through the school and across the grounds. Nearly no one was awake yet.  
"Professor Dumbledore! 'Arry! 'ow are yeh 'Arry? 'aven't seen yeh fer a while." He enveloped both of them in a bone-crushing hug.  
When he let go, the headmaster asked, "Are the threstles ready, Hagrid?"  
"Yes, Professor. They're right over here on the other side of the house."  
"Thank you, Hagrid. Will you fetch them?"  
"Yes, Professor." Hagrid disappeared to fetch them.  
"I daresay you still remember how to ride, Harry?"  
"I don't think it's something I could forget if I wanted to."  
Hagrid led one of the threstles to Dumbledore, and the other one to Harry. Harry watched Dumbledore put his leg over the threstle and climb on with ease; Dumbledore was a spry old man. Harry awkwardly tried to clamber onto the creature's back. He was a little taller this year but he still had a great deal of difficulty. In the end, Hagrid just picked Harry up by the scruff of his neck and dropped him on top of the beast. "Hang on tight, 'Arry!"  
Dumbledore and Harry both took off and Hagrid called, "G'bye, Professor. G'bye, Harry!"  
The ride past much the same as the only other time he'd ridden a threstle, only this time he went to St. Mungos. They left the threstles outside Purge and Dowse Ltd. It was early enough that there was hardly anyone about, and no one saw them land. Dumbledore spoke to the manikin in the window, requesting to see Nymphadora Tonks.  
Once they were inside the hospital they went in search of Tonks, they found her quite easily.  
"Wotcher, Harry! Good to see you." She tried to sit up but the effort seemed to exhaust her.  
"Are you alright, Tonks?" asked Harry. Well, that was a stupid question. If she was alright, she wouldn't be there.  
"Sure. I'll be good as new in a couple days." She gave a little grin.  
Harry sat down in the chair beside the bed. "What happened?" He saw Tonks glance at Dumbledore. Harry could have sworn he saw Dumbledore nod.  
The Headmaster said, "I'm going to see to a few of the other patients here. I'll be back soon."  
Harry repeated his question, "What happened?"  
"Well," and she told him. She ended by saying, "It's not the first attack of this war, Harry, and it's not going to be the last. There were no fatalities this time, but we might not be so lucky next time. We've already lost that Hufflepuff and my cousin."  
Harry bit his lip. "I will kill Bellatrix Lestrange."  
"That's not the way, Harry. I'd love to kill her too but . . . that's just lowering ourselves to their standards. We can't do that. Not until we've got no other choice. There will be a better way to deal with them but that's not it. You've learned to cope with the dead, now you've got to learn how to get along with the living. Harry, I'm sorry for the lot life's dealt you. My lot ain't pretty either. I thought Sirius had it bad, I thought Remus had it bad, but you take the cake. But all of us have gone on and we're going to keep going on and so will you. If you don't, the consequences . . .well, you know enough."  
"I don't want to deal with this," he muttered, not expecting or wanting her to hear.  
But she did. "Harry, none of us do. But we've got two choices. Turn a blind eye and deaf ear and ignore what's happening or do something about it. You don't seem like the kind of bloke to just ignore something like this."  
"But isn't that what got Sirius killed? Me trying to play the hero," he said bitterly.  
She sighed. "Kid, come sit here."  
He would have taken offense at anyone else calling him 'kid'; he'd spent his summer trying to convince people he wasn't a kid and shouldn't be treated as one. Fred and George were right. Tonks was different. Even though she'd called him 'kid' she was speaking like he was an equal; and as far as he was concerned, he was. He moved and sat on the edge of the bed and she gripped his hand. "Sirius was always somewhat rash. He didn't like being cooped up in that house. You know what it feels like. He couldn't even leave in the safety of his animagus shape anymore. He loved you and would have done anything he could to save you. That's why he went. Just like you loved him. Like brothers, or a father and son. As far as I'm concerned, you're my cousin."  
"Thanks, Tonks." He had an odd little family growing. He imagined a family portrait. Lupin would be his surrogate father, Mrs. Weasly his mother. Hermione his sister, Ron his brother. Dumbledore maybe a grandpa? And his cousin Tonks. She was better than Dudley. He wanted to laugh.  
She patted his arm. "I heard you found a letter from Sirius. You don't have to tell me about it if you don't want to."  
"Yeah." He didn't say anything for a minute. "The letter wasn't finished. It was from the day we went to the Department of Mysteries. He told me to listen to Mrs. Weasley. Told me he couldn't wait to teach me to drive his flying motorcycle. He started mentioning something about my aunt but the letter wasn't finished. I went to Professor Lupin later on this year and he explained."  
Tonks was grinning a little.  
"What?" he asked.  
"I know how to drive the flying motorcycle."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. Sirius showed me. I can show you sometime."  
"That sounds great."  
Dumbledore came back in, "It's time, Harry."  
"All right. I'm coming." He stood up.  
"Do me a favor, will ya?"  
"Yeah. What?"  
"Never send me another letter addressed 'Dora'."  
Harry laughed. "Sure thing." 


	45. Sick

Harry wondered why the world had to be the way it was. Why couldn't it be better?  
The only answer he came up with was that there was some cruel divine force out there that wanted to punish him.  
He was sitting in the common room writing out his essay for transfiguration while the rain spattered the window.  
He'd gotten a letter the day before; Tonks was now out of the hospital.  
Hermione and Ron were at a prefects meeting.  
Harry was alone.  
He didn't want to do his essay. He chewed on the end of the quill. Eventually he finished the essay and leaned his face against the cold glass window. He nearly fell asleep.  
"Harry?"  
He didn't turn around. "What do you want?"  
"You're in a bad mood, aren't you?"  
He didn't respond and he couldn't see her, but he felt the weight of Ginny sitting on the arm of the chair.  
"Luna said to tell you that she's got to cancel your Occlumency lesson for tonight."  
He still didn't move. "Why?"  
"Well, I just saw her and she looks terrible. She was on her way to the hospital wing to see Madam Pomfrey."  
"I've got to go see if she's okay." Harry stood up immediately and the lack of weight to balance out the sides sent the chair over sideways, landing on top of Ginny, who fell to the floor.  
"Ouch!" screamed Ginny.  
"Oops. I'm sorry, Gin."  
She glared at him as he picked up the chair and helped Ginny to her feet. "Is your leg okay?"  
"It's fine. Just a little sore is all."  
"Good. I'm going to go see if Luna is okay." He started away, avoiding the looks of those who had glanced over curiously upon hearing the chair fall down and Ginny scream.  
Ginny called to him, "She's fine. Just the flu or something."  
Harry didn't listen. He went down to the hospital. He got just outside the door and started to feel silly. What was he doing here? Oh, well. He was here now. He opened the door and saw Madam Pomfrey, "Is Luna okay?"  
"She's fine, young man. It's just a case of the flu. Possibly a slight case of pneumonia. I gave her some tonic and she'll be good as new by morning."  
"Can I see her?"  
"She's already asleep."  
"Can I see her anyway?"  
Harry wasn't sure, but he thought he saw something in Madam Pomfrey's face soften. "Go on. She's behind the curtain, on the first bed."  
"Thanks." He came through the curtain that veiled the bed. "Luna, are you okay?"  
"Hmmm?" She was awake, acknowledging that he was there, but her eyes remained closed. She was feeling too weak to properly talk; Harry had often felt that way himself after being especially sick.  
"Are you alright, Luna? I heard you didn't feel well."  
"Hmmm." That sounded like a 'yes'.  
He sat in the chair by the bed. "Are you alright?"  
"Hmmm?" she asked weakly.  
"I'll take that as a 'no'." He tentatively reached out and took her hand, trying to send comfort and strength through it, to her.  
He just sat there, talking to her. Rambling off anything on his mind. She never opened her eyes, but her "hmmm" always indicated what she thought and showed that she was paying attention. He always knew what she meant. But it also showed that she was too weak to really talk.  
"Yeah, and so they've got their Prefect meeting tonight. All of us are so involved in different things that we never see each other anymore. I don't like it. What about you? I thought you might make Prefect this year."  
"Hmmm." It was a 'no, I didn't make Prefect, but I didn't want to'.  
"Ginny didn't make it either."  
"Hmmm?" meaning 'where's Ginny now?'  
"Oh, she's in the common room. I feel kind of bad. She was sitting on the arm of the chair I was in and I stood up really fast and the chair went over. It fell on top of her."  
"Hm!"  
"Yeah, it did look painful. But she said she was okay."  
"Hmm, hmm!" she said weakly.  
"Maybe I should see how she's doing." He didn't want to leave yet. "Did I tell you Tonks is out of the hospital?"  
This time her "hmm" was clearly an impatient yes.  
"I guess I should get going, then." He hesitated. "I'll come see you in the morning before breakfast." He kissed her on the forehead in an almost brotherly or fatherly manner.  
"Goodnight, Harry."  
"Goodnight, Luna." He smiled.  
Luna was nearly asleep (or pretending to be), she murmured, "Apologize to her."  
  
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Harry stopped in to see Luna before breakfast. He felt silly, so he didn't tell Ron and Hermione where he was going, only that he'd meet them downstairs.  
Madam Pomrey let him in at once. Luna was awake.  
"Hello, Harry." She was propped up on her elbows and looking much healthier than the night before.  
"Hey." She looked nearly back to her usual self actually.  
"Sit."  
"Are you feeling better?" he asked, sitting at the foot of her bed and looking at her.  
"Yes. Much better. Strong Healing tonics often take quite a bit out of you before they make you better. I'm sorry about last night. I'll make up the lesson. Which is better for you, tonight or Saturday?"  
"We were going to have a long practice Saturday, but with the way the weather's going I was thinking of canceling it."  
"Then what about tonight?"  
"Are you sure you'll be up to it? You don't want to relapse and get sicker."  
"I'll be fine."  
"Okay. Then tonight is great."  
"Good. See you in McGonagall's room at the usual time."  
Harry found Ron and Hermione arguing. "I don't want to go to potions!"  
"You are not faking sick, Ron!"  
"But-"  
"You are a iPrefecti!"  
"It's not really faking if I use-"  
"You are inoti using a Skiving Snackbox either." She glared.  
"Harry, tell her."  
"Tell her what?"  
Hermione wrinkled her nose. "That if we want Gryffindor to win the Quiditch match in 2 weeks, he needs to stay out of class today so he can get ahead on homework, catch up on rest, and be able to spend tonight at practice."  
"We aren't having a practice tonight, Ron. I've got to cancel."  
"Harry, we need all the practice we can get."  
"Well, I'm busy," he said, irritated.  
"What are you busy with?"  
"Luna. I've got a Legilimency lesson tonight."  
"I thought that was last night," said Hermione.  
"It was supposed to be, but Luna got sick. She's better now. You'd know if you were in the common room last night."  
"We told you, we had a Prefects' meeting."  
Ron looked a little mad. "Yeah, Ginny was telling me. She said you did something and a chair fell on her leg."  
Harry squirmed uncomfortably. "I said sorry."  
Ron rolled his eyes. "Hermione, I'm not going to class."  
Harry went down to the dungeon and left them to argue.  
  
Okay, I'm back. I was on a hiatus from my Harry fics. I'm back. If you don't hate me too much for ignoring you guys for a couple weeks by writing other fics, please review. Sorry this chappie was so short. I'll try to post another soon. I was really stuck on what to write. 


	46. Overheard

Gryffindor won the Quiditch game 260 to 50.  
  
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Harry chewed worriedly on his quill, unable to concentrate on his assignment. They were almost midway through February. For the last 3 weeks now, there'd been rumors of attacks. One to two a week. Harry couldn't find anything in the Prophet about the attacks but Hermione had talked to McGonagall and Harry had talked to Dumbledore. The rumors were true (to some extent).  
Most had been attacks against random Muggles or Muggle-borns, and a couple against Dumbledore's supporters. There was one case where the Imperius curse had been placed on or attempted to place on someone.  
Harry tried to district himself. Come on, you've got to finish this test! But he didn't want to. It didn't seem important.  
He put down the quill.  
"Potter!" hissed Snape. "Get back to work. If you do not at least attempt every question, you fail."  
Harry wrenched his mind away from thoughts of Deatheaters, Voldemort, pain, misery, and Luna Lovegood. What was the last ingredient for a pink talking rubber duck potion again? Right! Seaweed. He wondered briefly why anyone would want to turn anyone into a talking, pink rubber duck. Didn't matter. He scribbled answers to the last 3 questions.  
  
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Harry was just through with his Legilimency lesson that night when he decided to bring up the attacks to Luna. "Why do you think they're happening?"  
"What?" she asked in her far-off voice that she usually used when other people were talking to her; not the voice she used during their lessons.  
He bit his lip with impatience and stared her in the eye, determined to get a straight answer. "Why do you think the attacks are happening now? What are the motivations behind them? Other than the lack of being pureblooded there's no connection. What do you think?"  
"Why do you need to know what I think?"  
"Bloody h-" he started. Why did he need to know what she thought? He didn't know. He just knew that more important than finding out what Ron or Hermione thought, was finding out what Luna thought. Her view was always different, always unique. "You were one of the first people to believe me last year. You're loyal. You've got a good head on your shoulders. I don't know. I just know I need to know."  
"Fair enough. I think it's because somebody is getting more powerful. I don't know if it's them or us. But for better or for worse, somebody is. It'll be all right in the end. You'll see." She squeezed his hand and jumped off of McGonagall's desk.  
Harry was walking back from his lesson with Luna when he heard lowered voices speaking in the hall.  
He peeked around the corner and saw Snape, McGonagall, Flitwick, and Dumbledore standing there.  
"Recruitment has begun," said Snape softly.  
McGonagall's eyes happened to fall on Harry before anymore could be said. "Potter! What are you doing in the halls at this time of night?"  
"I was at my Legilimency lesson, Professor."  
"Were you eavesdropping on us, Harry?" asked Dumbledore's grave voice.  
"I just got here, sir." It was the truth; he had just arrived. One sentence didn't really count as eavesdropping.  
"Go to bed, Harry. I'm sure your Legilimency lesson was exhausting," said Dumbledore.  
Snape said icily, "I'm sure he has mass quantities of homework to complete."  
"Goodnight, Professors."  
"Goodnight, Harry," they all replied, all but Snape. Snape just stared coldly at him.  
Harry tried not to shiver as he walked away, he'd forgotten his cloak in the Common Room, but he knew the coldness he was feeling was from Snape's stare.  
When he got to the common room he found Ron and Hermione sitting together. His arm was around her as she tried to explain the Transfiguration homework.  
"Hey," he said awkwardly. They didn't seem to hear him. "Hey!"  
"Oh. What is it, Harry? I was trying to explain this spell about-"  
"Sure you were. I over heard Snape and McGonagall and Dumbledore and Flitwick talking."  
  
"What did they say?" They turned to face him; he was sitting on the arm of the couch. Ron slowly took his arm off of Hermione.  
"Snape said 'Recruitment has begun'."  
"And then what else?"  
"That was it."  
"That was all anybody said?"  
"That was all I heard."  
"So what's the big deal?" asked Ron, clearly irritated that his time with Hermione had been interrupted for so little cause.  
"Well, which side? Who's done the Recruiting? Is it more people joining our side? Or their's? He's supposed to be a spy after all."  
"Isn't it obvious?" said Hermione.  
"What's obvious?" asked Ron.  
"Well, look at the evidence. All the attacks. That's probably how they test and initiate new Deatheaters. Send them out to attack, if it's successful, they're in."  
"Not necessarily," Harry said slowly. "The attacks might have spurred more people on to join our side."  
Ron said, "Well, maybe it's both. The more serious this war gets, the more people realize that they can't just stay out of it. They're realizing that they have to pick a side or they'll get caught in the crossfire anyway. The time is now. If they wait to long to pick, it could be too late."  
"I think Ron is right," said Neville, walking over.  
"You've been listening to us?" asked Harry, crossly.  
"Well, I saw you come in, Harry, and it looked like you had something important to say." Neville stood nearer to Harry and Hermione's end of the couch than Ron's. Ron's promised revenge for Neville dating Ginny still hadn't come yet and they'd been dating almost two months. Neville was still wary, because as the saying went "revenge is a dish best served cold".  
"That does make the most sense," said Hermione.  
"Yeah," said Harry. "I'm tired, those Legilimency lessons leave wiped." He went upstairs, surprised to find Neville right behind him.  
"Can I talk to you a minute, Harry?"  
"Sure. What about, Neville?" Neville looked nervous.  
"Well, I was wondering if you could find out what Ron and Hermione's plans are for Saturday. It's a Hogsmeade day. And it's Valentine's Day. Ginny and I thought it would be best to avoid them."  
"I think you're right. I'll find out tomorrow."  
"What are your plans?"  
"My plans? I'm not seeing anybody."  
"Well, I'm not going to be here, Ginny's not going to be here, Ron and Hermione aren't going to be here in all likelihood. What are you going to do?"  
"I don't know." He'd been so preoccupied that he hardly gave Valentine's Day a thought. When he did think about it, he'd just brushed it aside. His two best friends were dating each other; he had no one to hang out with.  
"You're still getting lessons from Luna, right?"  
"Yeah." He wondered where this was going. "But I don't want to date her." A nutcase like her was the last thing he needed.  
"Well, do like you did for Christmas. If she's not busy, tell her that you want to thank her for all the help she's given you this year. You can go out to lunch with her and buy her a pair of earrings. Something to replace those radishes she wears."  
"Yeah . . ."  
"She wears the necklace you bought her everyday. And now she brushes her hair. I wonder what her incentive was to start keeping her appearance up." He gave a cheeky grin and ducked as Harry came forward to try and hit him. After a minute or so he said, "I give up! I know you don't want to date her. I don't want to get hurt so quit chasing me!"  
Harry glared at him.  
"As a girlfriend or not, I think she's been good for you, Harry. It's good for you to spend time with her. You always seem happier after seeing her. You're loads better over your godfather's death now than I would have thought after seeing you over the summer. The way you talk about her, think about what she says, everything just seems to scream that you belong together. Soul mates. I'm not saying you've got to marry her or anything, but you really seem to understand each other. I don't know if anybody really understands you as well as she seems to and I can't think of anyone who understands her like you can, or even comes close." He shrugged.  
Harry fell asleep that night with a lot on his mind. An awful lot. Why did things have to be so complicated?  
  
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Wow. Ron was deep with that "maybe it's both of them" thing. I didn't plan that; he was just supposed to avoid a fight with Harry and Hermione. Oh well, what works works, I guess. Hmmm . . . I hope I'm not getting too mushy. I realize the emotional side of Harry might be making him seem weaker rather than stronger, but I'm trying to show him as more rounded. If he turns out heartless, then he's no better than Voldemort. Right?  
  
Here are some individual replies for anybody who asked a question.  
  
Lord of Darkness13-I'll update Fortress of Shadows as soon as I can.  
  
fetons-babe-Hope it was okay that I used those talking pink rubber duckies.  
  
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"So, Luna, I'll see you at noon tomorrow?"  
"Okay."  
"Same place as last time?"  
"Alright."  
He almost reminded her that it wasn't a date, but he hesitated. Instead he said, "I'll see you tomorrow, then.  
She nodded and Harry watched her walk away. 


	47. Still Not a Date In Hogsmeade

The next day, when his mind was not occupied with schoolwork or fighting the evilest man in the world, Harry was thinking about what Neville said. He was thinking about Luna.  
It was true; she was unattached (as far as he knew). She probably didn't have any plans for Valentines Day.  
But this was Luna they were talking about. Looney Lovegood. She was . . . odd. But that didn't really matter. No. Harry was more concerned over the fact that if they dated and things didn't work out, their friendship might be ruined forever. He only just realized how important she was to him. He needed to be able to talk to her. She was the one who'd been able to help him work through Sirius's death. She was the one who seemed to be solid when everything around just seemed like chaos. She was always so calm.  
As friends. Just like before Christmas. He'd ask her after tomorrow's Occlumency lesson. That still left her plenty of time if she wanted to find a real date before he asked her.  
It was the ideal situation. A good time to prove and remember that they were just friends. And he could get her earrings. Maybe star earrings. They'd go well with the necklace.  
  
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Friday came after Thursday (as it always seems to do), and it was time for yet another Occlumency lesson.  
Most of the class had become quite adept by now, but Dumbledore insisted they continue their lessons to keep their skills sharp.  
As far as Harry knew, he was the only one who moved on to Legilimency lessons.  
When class was over, Harry told Ron and Hermione to go on without him and that he'd catch up with them in a few minutes.  
"Luna, thanks for all your help this year."  
"The Legilimency lessons? No big deal."  
"It's not just that. It's everything. I guess I'm saying, thanks for being my friend."  
"Everybody needs friends."  
"Yeah. Friends. If you don't already have plans we could go meet in Hogsmeade tomorrow."  
"Sounds good. I've got to go. My house is this way."  
"So, Luna, I'll see you at noon tomorrow?"  
"Okay."  
"Same place as last time?"  
"Alright."  
He almost reminded her that it wasn't a date, but he hesitated. Instead he said, "I'll see you tomorrow, then."  
She nodded and Harry watched her walk away. Friends, he reminded himself firmly. You don't want another fiasco like with Cho. But then again, that wasn't entirely his fault because Cho was already a mess anyway. But better to be safe than sorry. He and Luna were going to stay friends. They had to.  
In the common room he asked Ron and Hermione what their plans were for the next day.  
"There's this place that just opened. It's supposed to be really nice. We're going to go there. Then we thought we'd walk around the village for a while. Why? What are your plans?"  
"Oh. I was just going to go out and eat with a friend."  
"Would this friend's initials be LL?"  
"Yeah," he said. He wasn't going to beat around the bush. "Luna didn't have a date and neither did I, so we thought we'd go as two friends. Like we did before Christmas."  
"Yeah, but didn't it end up very date-like last time?"  
"I don't know. I like her, but I can't date her. I can't. I don't want to risk ruining our friendship if things don't work out. Besides, after Cho last year, I don't think I'm ready for another girlfriend."  
Hermione nodded. "I understand that. That's one of the reasons it took me so long to finally tell Ron the truth about how I felt."  
"Looney's nothing like Cho, Harry. She's different. I don't think I've ever seen her cry."  
"I have," said Harry.  
Something about Harry's face kept Ron and Hermione from pressing the subject further.  
Harry saw Neville looking anxiously at him. "I've got to go talk to Neville."  
"Did you find out where they were going to be? I don't want to run into Ron again. He still thinks of his sister as though she's only 6. She's 15. She's allowed to date and kiss a guy if she wants. He just doesn't see that."  
"They're going to that new place in Hogsmeade and then they were going to walk around afterwards."  
"That Italian place?"  
"I don't know. They didn't tell me what it was."  
"I already made reservations," he groaned miserably.  
"It sounds like it's a nice place, not the kind of place that you just sit and make out in, like Madam Puddifoots. I think you'll be okay. Try and get tables far away from each other."  
"Okay. I guess you're right. So what are you going to do?"  
"Luna and I are going to go out." He saw the weird look Neville gave him and amended hastily, "As friends. Like we did before Christmas. I'm going to get her some better earrings."  
"That's a good idea. I've got to go. Ginny said she needed help with her Herbology." He started to leave.  
"Hey, Neville?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Er, thanks for the advice the other night. About Luna. It helped."  
He grinned. "Your welcome."  
  
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Harry woke up, sweating. He'd had a nightmare. The first one he'd had in months. He'd stopped having nightmares over Sirius almost completely except for a rare occasion now. But those were just cause be his guilt subconscious mind. This nightmare was different. He'd seen newsstands with issues of the Quibbler burning to the ground.  
He fervently hoped it wasn't true.  
He got dressed and stood in front of the mirror trying to comb his hair. It looked almost decent. Then he realized, if it looked like he was actually making an effort, then it might be considered a date. Two friends spending the day together didn't care what they looked like. He took the pitcher of water off the table by the window and poured it over his head. He muffled his scream behind his hand. The water was freezing.  
Only Neville woke at his shout. "What's the matter, Harry? Another nightmare?"  
"Yeah," he confessed, "but that's not why I screamed. Who left the window open? It's freezing."  
Neville was now wide-awake and laughed at him. "Sure you're freezing, you're soaked and standing by an open window. What happened? Did Dobby try to give you a bath or something without telling you?" Neville had heard some humorous Dobby stories from Ron. He threw Harry a dirty towel off the floor for him to dry with.  
"Thanks." He started with his hair. "I started to do my hair, and I didn't like it. So I undid it."  
"Wow, Harry. Actually combing your hair for once? This is a historic occasion. What's happening today? Wait, a second. It's the dreaded Valentine's Day"  
Neville's comment was good-natured enough, but that was exactly the response Harry had been trying to avoid. "Nothing special. I'm just going to hang out in Hogsmeade with Luna."  
"Which explains everything."  
"What do you mean?" he asked cautiously.  
"Well, it's Luna. You made an effort to look nice. But on the other hand, it's Luna. You didn't want to have made an effort to look nice. Ergo, you made yourself look like you've been standing out in the rain for an hour."  
Neville was certainly too smart for his own good. Harry's hair was nearly dry now. He threw the towel back at him and rummaged around for something else to wear. "Not exactly, but close enough."  
Neville grinned. "I love being right."  
Harry was glad he'd taken that job over the summer. Sure it was minimum wage, but he'd been able to afford some new clothes. He hadn't let the Dursleys know just how much he bought or how much money he made, he didn't trust them not to take it. He took out a pair of comfortable jeans, a t-shirt with the words "Didn't anybody tell you? I'm smiling just to annoy you" on it, and a black windbreaker. He'd go Muggle today. He stripped off his wet clothing and put on his Muggle clothes. They fit wonderfully.  
"Very stylish I'm sure, Harr."  
Harry threw his wet robes at Neville and shook his head vigorously to settle his hair back to its usual state of disorder. Perfect. "Can I borrow Ginny for a bit this morning?"  
"You've got your own girl. What do you need mine for?"  
"I need help picking out earrings for Luna and I trust her judgment on such things a lot more than I trust yours."  
"Oh, I'm hurt." He laughed.  
"I'll see you later, Nev."  
"Yeah, see you later, Harry. Just make sure Ginny gets back to me on time."  
"I'll do my best, but she's got a mind of her own." Laughing, he went down to the common room and was waiting when Ginny came downstairs. Neville was still trying to decide what to wear.  
"Has Neville come downstairs yet?" she asked, glancing up at the stairs.  
"Not yet. But I was wondering if you'd help me pick out some earrings for Luna. To go with that necklace I got her."  
"Sure. As long as I'm not late for my date."  
"Thanks, Gin."  
"Let's go eat breakfast."  
Down at the table they thoroughly discussed all options.  
"Okay, so flowers and candy are out because that's too date-ish. Right?"  
"Yeah. I thought we decided I was getting her earrings."  
"I know we did. But I'm making sure all options are explored. What are you trying to accomplish?"  
"I don't know. I want to be friends with her, and I want to stay friends. I don't know that much about her. I wish I did."  
"Good goal. Find out more about her. Get to know her better. Establish these things. You want a growth in your friendship. Sounds great. I think the earrings are you best shot. They show friendship, observation of the fact that she needs new earrings, and it's not overly romantic."  
"You don't think it might insult her that I think her current earrings are even worse than her old necklace?" he asked.  
"Well, you sure shouldn't phrase it like that. If you do, you'll never get a girlfriend."  
"I'm not looking for a girlfriend."  
"I know, I know, but I'm just saying . . ."  
"Come on, let's go," he said, both irritated and amused.  
Once within the village, they went straight back to the jewelry shop they'd been to before.  
The owner recognized them. "Back again?"  
"You remember us?" asked Harry. He was a little surprised; he supposed lots of people came in the store around the holidays, there was no way he'd remember them.  
"It's not everyday the Boy-Who-Lived comes into my shop. Besides, that necklace was one of a kind."  
Harry sighed, "Please don't call me that, sir."  
"You're not him then? But the scar, and your picture in the Prophet . . ."  
"Sir, my name is Harry Potter, not the Boy-Who-Lived," his tone was icy.  
He nodded. "That necklace was one of a kind. Is there anything else I can get for you and your friend?"  
"We're looking for earrings to go with the necklace," said Ginny.  
"Preferably stars," added Harry.  
"It might help if I knew what she looked like." He glanced at Ginny.  
"It's not for me," she said, blushing slightly. "Harry's practically my brother."  
Harry intervened. "She's the same age as her, she's got gray-blue eyes, and dirty blonde hair. I want something that goes with her eyes."  
The shopkeeper must have brought out more than a dozen pairs of earrings before Harry found what he was looking for (Harry hadn't been able to describe what he wanted, only that he'd know it when he saw it).  
"This is it! If these earrings don't say Luna Lovegood, nothing does!"  
"Lovegood? Hmmm . . . any relation to Abner Lovegood?"  
"I don't know." He glanced at Ginny, who shrugged her shoulders. "That could be her father's name."  
"Abner Lovegood owns the Quibbler."  
Definitely Luna's father. "What do you mean?"  
"Don't you read the prophet? After what they printed about you last summer, I suppose not. This morning's paper said that almost every newsstand that sold the Quibbler was burned to the ground last night." He added in a whisper, "Some people are saying that the ashes were left in the shape of the . . . the Dark Mark."  
"But why strike out against the Quibbler?" mused Harry.  
"Maybe because of your interview last year."  
"Or maybe someone wants to pick off my friends, one by one."  
"But You-Know-Who couldn't possibly even know you're friends with her," Ginny assured him.  
Harry shook his head. "Voldemort has got enough ears in Hogwarts, and Hogsmeade too I'll bet, to find out anything he wants. Crabbe and Goyle don't look like they've got a brain cell to rub between them, but Malfoy . . . Malfoy! Luna made him look like an idiot on the train ride in. Hexed him and sent him screaming out of the compartment. That explains. Between that and the interview last year, it didn't matter that she's a pureblood, she was a marked target." Harry glanced up and saw the shopkeeper was still listening intently. Harry knew nothing about this man. He went back to business. "How much?"  
The shopkeeper told him and he paid. The man wrapped the earrings in a pretty box with a ribbon around it.  
"I was shocked about Luna's dad's paper," Ginny said, when they were outside the shop.  
"Me too. I wonder if she knows."  
"We were in there a long time," said Ginny.  
"How long?"  
"I'll put it this way, we've got enough time to meet our da-I mean, for me to meet my date and for you to meet Luna. But we can't dawdle."  
"Okay. Thanks for all your help, Gin."  
"Anytime, Harry." She waved and they parted ways.  
Harry hurried to the Three Broomsticks.  
  
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Sorry to end the chapter here, but I figured it was better to put up what I've got so far and post the rest when it's written. (Soon, I promise!) 


	48. Flames

Disclaimer: (Hmm, I remembered!) I don't own any characters in this chapter. That stinks. But I love this chapter! I double-spaced it between paragraphs like someone asked me too, tell me if this is better.  
  
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            He paced back and forward outside, waiting for Luna. He'd been waiting twenty minutes and she still wasn't there. He looked at his watch. Oh. It was only 11:55. Maybe he shouldn't have run all the way here.

            He tried to stop pacing and started fidgeting instead. No good. He went back to pacing and checked his watch every thirty seconds. 11:56 . . . 11:56 . . . 11:57 . . . 11:57 . . . 11:58 . . . 11:58 . . . 11:59 . . . 11:59 . . . 12:00 . . . 12:00 . . . 12:01 . . . 12:01 . . .

            "Hello, Harry." She smiled at him.

            Harry looked at her. Her smile. She was breath taking. This wasn't the dazed I-have-no-clue-what's-going-on-and-I-can't-even-hear-you smile she wore around most people. This was a genuine here-I-am-I'm-glad-to-see-you smile. He couldn't think of a response to "Hello, Harry". This was bad. This was very bad.

            She smiled again. "Do you want to go inside and get something to eat?"

            "Yeah," he choked on the word. "Er, yeah. Sounds great." Harry realized for the first time since she said hello that she was dressed in Muggle clothes. She wore a white blouse with puffy sleeves and a jean skirt. Her hair was brushed smooth and she wore the choker (she'd had her hair like this every day since the last time they'd gone to Hogsmeade together, and she hadn't taken the choker off since he gave it to her). She looked gorgeous.

            She opened the door and held it up for him as they walked in. The place was crowded, but not too crowded. Most couples didn't think this was a very romantic place to go for Valentine's Day.

            They got a table, drinks, a couple of burgers, and a plate of fries.

            "I heard about the Quibbler. And the fires."

            She didn't respond or change expressions.

            "Is your dad okay? They didn't go after him too, did they?"

            "No. He's fine."

            "Do you know why your father's magazine was targeted?"

            "Because he prints the truth, whether people want to hear it or not."

            Harry nodded. Close enough. "I got you something," Harry said.

            "Really? You didn't have to."

            "I wanted to." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the box.

            She stared at it for almost a full minute before slowly undoing the ribbon, carefully opening the box, and unfolding the pale blue tissue paper. She lifted up the earrings. "They're beautiful."

            Harry anticipated her leaning over and kissing him on the cheek like last time, but she didn't. She leaned over and gave him a hug instead. He was slightly disappointed. Stop it! he thought to himself. She let go and sipped at her drink, Harry couldn't remember what it was called.

            Harry didn't know about her, but for him, things were getting a little tense. He didn't know why. Why was it so hard to keep everything normal? "Hey, are you ever going to tell me how you hexed Zacharias and Malfoy?"

            "No, we've all got our secrets. You've got too many of your own for me to be the one to start telling."

            "That sounds familiar."

            "I told you the same thing the last time you asked about it."

            Harry was quiet for a minute. He remembered his earlier words to Ginny. His eyes lit up and he smiled, "I'll tell you what, let's get out of here. It's too stuffy. And I'll make a deal with you. I'll tell you anything you want to know, but you've got to tell me everything I want to know."

            She smiled again. "Deal." She stuck out an ink-smeared hand and he shook it.

            They got up and left. Walking through the village and out where the trees were. He almost took her hand, but hesitated. They stopped under a tree (not the same one as before) and sat down. Harry knew they'd both be doing an awful lot of talking, and he didn't want to be overheard. "Go."

            "Are you still having nightmares about the Department of Mysterious?"

            He took a deep breath thinking, I'm sixteen and I'm still having nightmares. "Yes. Since you started talking to me about them and helping me, I'm hardly having nightmares at all anymore."

            "What was the last nightmare you had?"

            "Last night. I saw the Quibbler burning."

            She nodded. "I suspected you did. And before that?"

            "I saw everybody I cared about die."

            "Who?"

            "My mum, dad, Sirius, Ron's parents, Ron, Hermione, Fred and George, Ginny, Dumbledore, Tonks, Moody, McGonagall, and Lupin." He took another breath. "And you."

            "How did I die?"

            "Decapitation." He shuddered at the memory of her head rolling at his feet. Blood-smeared hair . . .

            "Do you really speak Parseltongue?"

            "Yes."

            "What's the whole truth about Sirius?"

            "He was my godfather; my dad's best friend next to Remus Lupin. He was supposed to be my parents' secret-keeper when they went into hiding. But everyone knew how close he and my parents were. He was best man at their wedding. So, last minute he convinced them to switch to Peter Pettigrew."

            "Why not Lupin if they were such good friends?"

            "Somebody was leaking information. They thought it might be him," Harry said bitterly. "So they switched to Peter. He was the one who told. He killed my parents by betraying them. Sirius blamed himself afterwards because he was the one who told them to use Peter. I don't think he ever forgave himself. Anyway, the story is that Peter hunted him down and I'm sure you know the rest. But the truth is, he hunted out Peter as soon as he realized what had happened. They met on that Muggle street like the story says, Peter shouted Sirius's betrayal before cutting off his finger, transforming himself into a rat, and blowing up the street." He laughed mirthlessly. "Did I mention he and Sirius and my dad were all Animagi? A rat. A dog. And a stag." He stared at the sky. "Anything else?"

            "How do you really feel about all the Boy-Who-Lived business?"

            He picked up a twig and snapped it. "I hate it. Famous for being alive. It's stupid."

            "What about all the fighting against him?"

            "Fighting?" he said bitterly. "What have I accomplished? I stayed alive. That's all I've been doing since I was born. In fact somebody called me that today."

            "What did you say?"

            "I told them that I had a name and it wasn't 'Boy-Who-Lived'. Sheesh. Doesn't anybody use names? I'm sick of all this 'Boy-Who-Lived' and 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named' business. It's ridiculous."

            "Why did Cho break up with you?"

            "Because, she had issues and I wasn't ready for a girlfriend."

            "Care to explain?"

            "Not really. But I will. She was too confused and busy mourning the death of her last boyfriend. Besides, we didn't have much in common outside of Quiditch."

            "Are you ready for a girlfriend now?"

            "I don't know. I guess it'd depend on who it was. Cho was needy and I didn't have time for that. She cried a lot and I didn't have patience for that."

            "What do you think of Ginny and Hermione?"

            "They're like sisters to me. I love them. I can't imagine dating either of them, obviously, but I care loads about them. I can't imagine Hogwarts without them. I would have flunked out ages ago without Hermione. She nags a lot, but she means well and the truth is, she's usually right. Don't tell her I said that. Ginny? She's great. She's tough, witty, cheeky, but she's also my best friend's little sister. I don't care how old she gets, she's always going to be Ron's little sister to me."

            The questions continued, some of them surprised Harry, others didn't. She asked for the true stories behind the Sorcerer's Stone and the Chamber of Secrets. She asked how it felt when he first found out he was a wizard. She asked about life at the Dursleys. She asked what exactly his problems were with Snape and Malfoy, as well as dozens of other questions. He answered all her questions truthfully and fully. Not hiding anything.

            After about two hours, maybe three, Harry didn't care how long, she stopped questioning.

            She had long since stretched out on the grass and was now leaning up on her elbows. "Wait, I've got one more. What are you thinking right now?"

            "I'm thinking, 'wow, I just spilled out my heart and soul and almost everything I've ever thought to this gorgeous, crazy girl who actually managed to sit through it all without falling asleep'. I feel better than I have in a long time. So now it's my turn?" he asked.

            "Yep. Go." She yawned.

            He had a whole lot of questions. Most of them were the whys behind the crazy things she did. "Why do you wear radishes in yours ears?"

            "My earrings? My mom. She told me that magic was like the rest of life. It didn't always work the way you expected it to, but there was always a chance. A growth. The expectation of waiting for something new. Why radishes? Why not? A dandelion would die to quickly."

            "Why do you keep your wand behind your ear?"

            She sat up. "Count to three and say draw."

            "One, two, three; draw!"

            She hit the tip of her wand and it flipped off her ear and into her opposite hand, pointing it directly at Harry's heart. "Understand?"

            "Yeah. Next question. Why do you wear Butterbeer caps around your neck? I've never even seen you drink one."

            "My dad. After my mom died, it was tough on both of us. We always made sure that at least once a week we went out together to talk. We didn't want silence or distance between us. So we sat in a little pub and talked and drank Butterbeers. The ones on the necklace are from the first couple months."

            Sentimental value. "The first day Ron, Hermione, and Ginny joined you and me with the tutoring thing, how come you made us all lie down? You didn't make me do that the week before when I was meditating."

            "I sensed a lot of tension in the room that night. Especially from one of you in particular. I thought it would help loosen muscles."

            "Oh, you mean Hermione."

            "Actually, I meant you."

            "Me?"

            "Yeah."

            He blinked. Unexpected. But he had been worried that night about Hermione and Luna. "Why do you always act so . . . dazed and inattentive when there's other people around? Why do you want them to think you're crazy?"

            She blinked. "Battle strategy. Never underestimate an opponent. I'm teaching them a lesson. I may not get top marks but my O.W.L. scores will blow the rest of them out of the water. If somebody underestimates you, they usually don't realize their mistake until it's too late. Besides, I like being me. I don't have to be them. Just me."

            "What do you mean?"

            "I'm happy with who I am. I sing completely off key, but I'll sing louder than anybody. I'm not very good at dancing, but if music starts playing, just try to stop me. I don't care much about my appearance." She laughed. "I could walk through the school completely naked and never bat an eye about it once." She laughed again. "I'm me. That's all that matters to me. Being honest with myself. Not trying to be something I'm not. I don't fuss about the little things, like when the other kids at school take my things. They're childish. They're idiots. Honestly, who cares what an immature idiot thinks of you anyway?"

            "You've got a point there."

            "Where'd you get those Muggle clothes? They look nice on you." He shifted himself and leaned his back against the tree.

            "My father made me a reporter. I went undercover for a week over the summer as a Muggle. It was a lot of fun actually. To see how the other half lives. Those without magic. And to get their opinions on magic."

            Harry reeled through questions and she answered. Finally, they'd been talking for quite sometime. He asked, "What is your life goal?"

            "What?"

            "What do you want out of life? Some people want money, or fame." He already had both and wanted neither, he just wanted to survive. "What do you want?"

            "I want for nothing. I want to be content. To be happy. And I am, Harry. I am. I know who I am; I like and accept who I am. Anybody searching for more than that is wasting their time. They'll never be satisfied, Harry. Never." Her eyes looked a little wet. "Don't you understand it, Harry? That's the secret to life. The only secret there is! Be content. Be happy. Be yourself. What do you want out of life?"

            "So far? To survive it long enough to enjoy living it. But right now, everything you just said sounds pretty good." He laughed.

            She picked up one of his hands and started playing with his fingers. He didn't mind.

            "Okay, one last question. What are you think right now?"

            She didn't drop his hand, but she looked into his clear green eyes.

            He stared back down into her deep, blue-gray ones, almost lost in them. The eyes that haunted him since the summer before; she didn't blink.

            "Well, I'm thinking that today has been very educational. We know more about each other than we did this morning. I think I understand you a little better. I'm fairly sure you understand me better. I'm glad I came. I'm glad you're here. I'm remembering the last time we were. I wish I could kiss you."

            "Then why aren't you?"

            "Because, I've gotten the impression that you don't want me too." She smiled a little sadly.

            Harry had been wrestling indecision for some time now. Ever since Christmas time. No, before that even. But his mind was firmly made up now. No going back. This was it. Now or never.

            He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. She looked up at him again with her big beautiful eyes and he kissed her gently on the mouth. Her lips were delicious and he continued kissing her. Soft and smooth. Her mouth was so warm. Connected at the mouth to Harry, Luna had shifted until she was sitting next to him, rather than lying down on the grassas they continued to kiss.

            Suddenly, Luna ran her tongue against his lips softly, barely touching. Harry nearly shivered. He ran his tongue against her lips, brushing them lightly. She let her tongue pry open his mouth (not that it took much prying) and enter. He continued to kiss her sweet lips, with his arms around her. Harry wasn't sure how long they sat there, just consumed in that single, wonderful kiss. It could have been ten minutes; it could have been an eternity. Both of his arms rested tightly but comfortably around her. Naturally. Possessively. He never wanted to let her go. Never. Finally, and ever so slowly and reluctantly, their faces came apart (they needed more air) and they stared in each other's eyes. She put her head on his shoulder and gave a small sigh, placing her arms around him. It felt right. As if this was how they were supposed to be. Together.

            Harry heard a snicker and leaned down to whisper to her, not showing any sign of alarm in his face. If someone was there, he wanted to catch him or her, not scare him or her off. "Did you hear that?"

            She nodded against his chest.

            Harry looked around as much as he could without being to obvious.

            She whispered, "Does Dumbledore still have people following you?"

            "I don't . . ." he started. Then he grew very angry and pointed his wand at the direction the snicker had come from, still holding on to Luna with one arm. "Accio invisibility cloak!"

            An invisibility cloak suddenly appeared and flew to Harry's hand. Harry caught it and let his hand fall back to its place, still holding the wand and cloak. Fred was left looking highly embarrassed.

            "Hey, mate, what's happening?"

            "Shouldn't you be spying on your own brother?" Harry asked angrily. "He's on a date too." There he'd said it, now it was a date.

            "Nah, you're more interesting. You're my brother too, an honorary Weasley." He was trying to pass this all off lightly, as usual.

            Harry let go of Luna now and folded his arms across his chest. She had sat up straight now, sitting and watching the confrontation silently. "So Dumbledore decided it wasn't safe for me in Hogsmeade?"

            Fred shrugged. "Hogsmeade, Quiditch practice, you're almost never alone."

            "What? Does someone spy on me during my Legilimency lessons too and walk behind me between classes?"

            Fred glanced at Luna, who made no reply. "Actually, no. He thinks you're well-protected enough during your Legilimency lessons."

            Harry glared at Luna. "Did you know about this?"

            "No idea."

            "So you've just been standing there the whole time we were talking and kissing?"

            "Nothing I could do about it, mate. Hey, I'd let you have your privacy, but Dumbledore's right. You have to be kept safe."

            "What if I fall down the stairs and break my neck? What then?"

            "I'll be there to catch you," said Luna, in her usual dreamy voice.

            "Lose the act, Lovegood, I was actually paying attention some of the time."

            "I think we should send him packing," said Luna. "It's not nice to spy on people."

            "I think you're right, Luna," said Harry.

            Fred couldn't even get another word in. They immediately commenced with as many curses, jinxes, and hexes they could think of. Later, when they went back to Hogwarts, Harry said the password to Dumbledore's office and the stone gargoyle sprang aside. Harry and Luna went up the stairs, carrying Fred. They laid him down on the top steps and knocked on the door. Harry placed a note on top of Fred's chest and they walked away holding hands.

            Harry knew he'd write a note to Fred later, apologizing, but right now he didn't care. He was satisfied with the fact that Luna was now his girlfriend and he'd paid back Fred and Dumbledore for spying on him (Harry was sure it would take even Dumbledore a little while to undo everything). Harry smiled. No secrets now. He'd told Luna the Prophecy. He knew she'd never breath a word of it to a soul. Everything else he told her earlier had made him feel cleansed and lighter, but this topped it. He wasn't going to have to go through this completely alone. He could talk to her.

            This was officially his best Valentine's Day ever.

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hehe. I love this chapter! I don't think there's going to be a lot of kissy scenes like that. None of my fics will ever go above PG (I like to keep my life PG). If anybody doesn't like Harry/Luna, don't shoot me, I warned you in my profile about what ships I sail! What did you think? Next chapter soon. I think I'll talk about Ron and Ginny's Valentines Day.


	49. Revenge is Ever So Sweet

Disclaimer: (Hmm, I remembered again!) I don't own any characters in this chapter. That stinks. But I love this chapter! I double-spaced it between paragraphs like someone asked me to, tell me if this is better.  
  
This chapter is Dedicated to everyone who felt sorry for Fred after the last chapter (Me222 and EvilHermione1824, this means you!)  
  
Everybody, thanks for your reviews.  
  
Tei'La-I try to post a minimum of once a week but the number of times I get to post depends on my homework and my muse. I only post as much as I have written at a time.  
  
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Harry's eyes kept drifting to the Ravenclaw table during dinner. Luna, her mask of obliviousness firmly in place, ignored his looks.  
  
Harry looked around and sighed. Couples were sitting together throughout the tables. Of course, Luna was a Ravenclaw, so he had no one to sit with. He had his transfiguration book out and was studying while he ate.  
  
When everyone was done he joined the thronging masses on their way to the houses. Harry and Ron went up to the dormitory early that night. They had a lot to talk about.  
  
They sat on the beds, throwing a tennis ball back and forward while they talked.  
  
"Ron, you don't mind if Luna and I attacked your brother, do you?"  
  
"Depends. Which brother?"  
  
"Fred. He deserved it."  
  
"Him? That's all right. What did you do to him?"  
  
Harry started listing everything.  
  
Ron listened, jaw open. "Whoa. What'd he do to deserve all that?"  
  
"Spied on us."  
  
"That doesn't really sound like Fred," he said doubtfully. "He spied on the Order with us that summer, but I don't see him spying on a guy who's on a dat- I mean spending the day with his friend."  
  
"He was sent by Dumbledore."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"So how was your date?"  
  
"Good. We shared a table with Neville and Ginny. I don't think I'll ever get used to my sister dating though. Probably not, anyway."  
  
"Well, maybe next time Luna and I will go with you."  
  
"So what happened today with you two?"  
  
"Well, this morning, Ginny and I picked out earrings for Luna. Did you hear about the Quibbler?"  
  
"Yeah. Bad, huh?"  
  
Harry nodded. "I met Luna at the Three Broomsticks and we ate. You should have seen her when she showed up there, Ron."  
  
"Was she crying?"  
  
"No, she was beautiful." He smiled at the memory and the lingering sensation that all was right with the world.  
  
Ron shrugged, "I believe you, but she's not my type." That was as delicate as he could put it. He didn't think of Luna like that at all, he was friends with her, but he really cared for Hermione. He thought she was the most gorgeous creature on earth. "So, then what?"  
  
"Well we talked a little and I asked her to tell me how she hexed Malfoy on the train. She said she that she wouldn't tell me any of her secrets until I stopped hiding mine. So I decided that we needed to really talk. Seriously talk. So we went outside and did just that."  
  
"For how long? An hour?"  
  
"An hour? It was more like four. Maybe longer. But that doesn't matter. I felt better afterwards."  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
He whispered, "Everything, Ron. Everything!" He smiled wide. "We sat down and I said, 'ask me anything'. Do know how good it feels to have no secrets from someone? To be completely honest with them? I just feel . . . free."  
  
"That's how I felt after Hermione and I told each other the truth about how we felt." He smiled. "But how does my brother fit into any of this?"  
  
"When we were talking I asked her what she was thinking. She said she wanted to kiss me. I wanted to kiss her too. It was . . . beyond words, Ron. That's all I can say."  
  
Ron nodded in understanding. "So wonderful that you never want to stop? Your arms are around her but you don't know how they got there and all you know is that you never want to let go? That's kind of how I feel whenever I see Hermione, or think about her. I love her, Harry."  
  
"Have you told her that?" Harry asked.  
  
"Not yet."  
  
"You should."  
  
"What if she doesn't say she loves me back, Harry? I'll be devastated. If she doesn't, well, it's better not to know."  
  
"Tell her. I think you'll like her answer."  
  
Ron nodded.  
  
Harry remembered Luna's face, her lips, her arms around him. "So we kissed, I don't know how long. But when we came up for air, I heard something. Well, after a suggestion from Luna I summoned the invisibility cloak I knew that someone must have been wearing. Then we saw that Fred was standing there. He confessed that Dumbledore still has guards on me during Hogsmeade trips and Quiditch and stuff. We got mad and started hexing him right and left. He never stood a chance. We carried what was left up to Dumbledore's office."  
  
Ron's eyes widened. "He was one of the nice ones . . ."  
  
"Don't worry. No permanent damage. Just enough to cause Dumbledore a little trouble fixing him."  
  
"That's good."  
  
"So how was your day?" asked Harry.  
  
"We did a little shopping before our lunch reservation. Then when we went and were waiting for our table we saw Ginny and Neville. He's got no right to snog my sister, but I felt bad about how I treated them the last time we were in Hogsmeade, so I asked if they wanted to sit with us. After we ate, Neville and Ginny went somewhere, I think window-shopping. Hermione and I walked around, talking."  
  
"Just talking?"  
  
"No," admitted Ron. "But I'm not one to kiss and tell," he teased.  
  
Seamus, Dean, and Neville walked in at that moment.  
  
"Hey, Harry-the-dateless, how was your Valentine's Day?" asked Seamus.  
  
"For your information, I had a date."  
  
"Who?" asked Seamus.  
  
"Luna Lovegood."  
  
"I thought you said you were friends?" said Dean.  
  
"Yes. We were friends. Now we're not. Luna's my girlfriend."  
  
The boys all laughed, except Ron.  
  
"Well who were you out with today?" asked Harry coolly.  
  
"Dean and I doubled with the Patil twins at Madam Puddifoots," said Seamus.  
  
"Oh, really?"  
  
"Yeah. You can ask them yourself tomorrow."  
  
"Dean, I thought you liked Lavender?" asked Ron.  
  
"I do, but she was sick today. She was in the hospital wing."  
  
Harry just shook his head. Some guys . . . He took out his pajamas and took off his shirt. He saw that the door was still open. Were these guys raised in a barn or something? Everyone who grew up in a cupboard under the stairs knew how to close a door. "Hey, shut the door, will ya?"  
  
"Sure." Neville kicked it back and started to change into his pajamas.  
  
"Did you have a nice time, Nev?"  
  
"Yeah, I-" he looked over at Ron, who was glaring. "Ginny and I had an enjoyable lunch and then we went out for a delightful walk."  
  
Harry fell asleep not long after that.  
  
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Harry woke up and got dressed for class, groaning, he had double- Snape first today. He pulled on his robes and brushed his hair and teeth without bothering to look in the mirror. He put his books in his bag and went down to breakfast. He was oddly starved.  
  
Nobody was in the common room. Strange. Usually there were people waiting around here before going down to breakfast; it wasn't that early yet.  
  
He just mentally shrugged it off and went down the many stairs of Hogwarts to the Great Hall. He sat at the Gryffindor table and started eating.  
  
There were odd expressions on the faces of some of the younger Gryffindors.  
  
But it was Draco Malfoy who solved Harry's confusion.  
  
"Hey, Potter," he spat. "What's with the new look?"  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Harry, confused.  
  
"Take a look in the mirror." He brought out a hand mirror and showed Harry his reflection.  
  
Harry nearly screamed, he wasn't sure he didn't.  
  
His hair was blonde and curly (growing longer by the minute), his robes were hot pink and shrunken so they didn't fit him so well, there was make up on his face (eye shadow, blush, lipstick, the works), he had long painted nails. And he looked behind him. A cat's tail was poking out of a whole in his fluorescent robes. Suddenly his arms and his hands weren't arms and hands anymore, they were yellow duck wings. Things got worse from there. His legs and feet became frog legs and feet. And he grew breasts.  
  
"What did you do to me?"  
  
"Nothing. This is an ordinary mirror. I just got an anonymous tip to show you your reflection. I'm glad I listened to it." He smirked and walked away.  
  
By now, most of the people in the hall were looking at Harry and laughing hard.  
  
He was so embarrassed he didn't know what to do. He looked desperately at Hermione and mouthed, "Help me!"  
  
She shook her head. "I'll try, but I don't think it'll work." She tried. It didn't work.  
  
"Now what am I supposed to do?" he asked.  
  
"I suggest you go see Madam Pomfrey." Harry could tell that she was doing her very best not to laugh. She was failing miserably. "I'm . . . so . . . sorry, Harry," she gasped. "Just . . . too . . . ridiculous!"  
  
Harry said nothing. He saw flashes of lights from cameras. Could things get worse?  
  
Hermione's laughing became so bad that she had to double up, clutching her stomach.  
  
Ron, Dean, Neville, Ginny, and Seamus were laughing as hard as the rest of them, if not harder.  
  
Luna walked up to him. She turned an icy stare to everyone in the vicinity. "If anyone laughs, they have to answer to me," she said calmly, taking Harry's wing and guiding him out of the Great Hall. Unfortunately, they had to pass every table in order to get to the doors and the students could not stop laughing, no matter how many of them Luna hexed on their way through.  
  
Madam Pomfrey was able to fix most of it. The key word being "most". She was not able to do anything about his hair, make up (which no amount of scrubbing, potions, or charms would remove) or the breasts. She told him, "Whoever did this to you was highly skilled. There's a time release on these. If I'm not mistaken, the rest of the effects will have worn off by the time you wake up tomorrow. The important thing is that we got rid of the tail, wings, and frog legs. You'll survive going to class."  
  
"Yeah but the other kids won't. They'll die from laughing," he growled. This was not funny and whoever had done this was going to pay.  
  
She brought out a set of very loose and baggy Hogwarts robes. "Put these on, it should help to partly fix your problem, or at least make them less noticeable. I'm sure I can find you something for support if you need it." She laughed. She had avoided it up until this point, but now she couldn't. The boy was probably at least a C, maybe a D, either way, he looked ridiculous. It would have look odd on a girl with a narrow frame like his; on a boy, it was just wrong.  
  
"No, thank you," he said coldly.  
  
"Child, you know I didn't mean that. Is there anything you need?"  
  
"No."  
  
Luna had not left and said, "I think he needs more make up."  
  
"What?!" asked Harry, outraged.  
  
"Miss Lovegood may be right, Mister Potter. I think I have concealer in just your color."  
  
"I'm not wearing more make up!" he screamed.  
  
"But this make up would make it look like you weren't wearing the other make up," she explained. Ordinary nail polish remover and clippers had taken care of his nails.  
  
"If I don't like it you'll get rid of it, right?"  
  
"Of course." When Madam Pomfrey was done, all that could be seen of the magical make up that had been put on him was the lipstick. "Well, I can't cover that for you. Sorry."  
  
He looked in the mirror (he was a little nervous too after what he'd last seen in a mirror) and she was right, he didn't look like a drag queen anymore. He looked down at the lumps under his robes and shuddered (he hadn't gotten a chance to change out of the pink ones yet), at least he looked a little better with concealer on. He sighed. "You can't do anything about these?" he was afraid to change his robes. He honestly didn't want to see these on his body.  
  
"Could bind them, make them smaller that way."  
  
"Bind?" That didn't sound to comfortable.  
  
"It's exactly as it sounds. A long strip of cloth tightly wrapped around your chest."  
  
"Okay." He shut his eyes while she worked. She cut the pink robe into two pieces so he was still clothed on the bottom. She didn't take the top part of the robe off either, she just shortened it and wrapped the binding cloth over it. Then she pulled the curtains closed so Harry could change robes alone.  
  
He pulled them open. Not bad. The cloth and baggy robes had made some difference. Didn't make it all better of course, but it helped. Now the poor boy had red lips, long and curly blonde hair just long enough for him to sit on, and baggy robes with a bulge near the top. She felt sorry for him, but Dumbledore had said . . .  
  
"Come on, Harry, I'll walk you to class."  
  
"It's way out of your way. I've got Snape."  
  
"It doesn't matter. Flitwick has missed me this long; another little while won't make a difference. I can get away with it, I'm his favorite student."  
  
So, they walked down to the dungeons. The Great Hall was empty when they passed through and no one was still waiting outside Snape's room when they got there.  
  
"Do I have to go in?" asked Harry, miserable.  
  
"Yes, you do." She kissed his cheek. "You've got choices. Go in there like everything is normal and just ignore the idiots."  
  
"That's hard."  
  
"Go in there, totally confident, and come up with sharp retorts to whatever they say."  
  
He hesitated.  
  
"Or you have one more option. Go in there and act really embarrassed like you are now and let them laugh at you and make fun of you. Then, whoever did this to you will win. Make up your mind fast." She knocked on Snape's door, pushed him toward it, and ran.  
  
"Come in!" yelled Snape.  
  
Harry took a deep breath and entered.  
  
There was a shocked silence.  
  
They'd been expecting him to come back either completely normal, or completely the way he had appeared at breakfast. They hadn't been expecting a partial recovering.  
  
"Mister Potter, is that you? Take a seat."  
  
Harry slumped down into a chair next to Hermione and quietly explained everything that happened. Potions that day was worse torture than usual.  
  
Draco Malfoy passed as many snide comments as he could. "Potter, you look different today, did you do something to your hair?"  
  
"No, did you? 'Cause you look like a drowned rat, Malfoy," said Harry. Draco's hair was slicked back.  
  
"Ooh, tough guy. You're a big girl now, Harriet. Moved out of your training bra and into big girl clothes."  
  
"I can tell you're so jealous. You're still in your tidy-whities with fluffy pink bunny rabbits on them, aren't you?"  
  
Draco's pale face grew spots of color.  
  
"I wonder if I should call you Harriet or Goldilocks?"  
  
No scissors had been able to cut his perfect blonde curls. It had stopped growing once it was long enough to sit on. Madam Pomfrey had tied it in a ponytail for him. She'd offered to plait it but he'd declined.  
  
The banter between them continued, though Harry had to wait for his comebacks until Snape wasn't paying attention. Oddly enough, Snape seemed to be paying less attention to him than usual. Draco persistently referred to him as Harriet.  
  
Harry was so glad when class was finally dismissed.  
  
"Who do you think did this?" asked Hermione.  
  
"No idea," he replied. "I thought it was Malfoy, but now I don't think it was." They talked and took their time getting to their next class. Hermione promised to let him borrow her potions notes from that class.  
  
Just a few yards from Delano's door, the seam in Harry's book bag split. "Aw, no! This is seriously not happening, Hermione." He bent down and picked up all his books. He entered the classroom 30 seconds after Delano had shut the door.  
  
He came in and she said flatly, "You're late."  
  
"Sorry, Professor. My book bag ripped."  
  
"No excuse. Take your seat, Mister Potter. Or should I say Miss Potter?"  
  
Harry went red in the face. "Mister Potter." He sat down between Ron and Hermione, wondering if perhaps Professor Delano was the source of his unfortunate day.  
  
"Mister Potter here is an excellent example. An excellent example of the need to be cautious! I am sure he has learned his lesson."  
  
Oh yeah, he thought. It was definitely her.  
  
"Mister Potter, did anything in your breakfast taste odd this morning?"  
  
"No. I didn't even get to have more than a bite of it."  
  
"Did you notice anything odd when you woke up this morning?"  
  
"If you're asking did I have this hair and these boobs when I woke up, the answer is no," he said bluntly.  
  
"I-"  
  
"No, I didn't have the cat tail, frog legs, duck wings, painted nails, or make up either. I don't know how I was hexed, but whoever did it is going to pay severely." There was a crazy glint in Harry's eye.  
  
"I was simply going to say, someone could have enchanted your robes, or any number of personal items yesterday while you were not attending them."  
  
The rest of class continued to be a nightmare.  
  
Lunch was not good. Someone had developed that morning's pictures and blown them up, displaying them on the wall. Once the pictures were removed (which wasn't until halfway through lunch) there was less laughing directly at Harry, but he later learned that some of his closer friends and Luna had gone around threatening anybody who laughed.  
  
Let's just skip the disaster that was the rest of the afternoon.  
  
That night after Quiditch practice, Harry's teammates all went to the library. Harry didn't have the heart. Someone had smeared honey all over the handle of his Firebolt and he didn't realize it 'til after he sat down. He trudged back to the common room. It wasn't that late, but Harry entered the common room and it was deserted.  
  
Harry didn't notice the two lone figures lounging in chairs by the fire until they said, "Hello, Harriet."  
  
He turned sharply and saw them. Fred and George Weasley (Fred now completely recovered).  
  
"How'd you get in here?"  
  
"Pulled a few strings."  
  
"Dumbledore?" asked Harry.  
  
"No," said Fred, putting his feet up. "Last night, I came by and saw some ickle-firsties on their way in. I told them I was one of the Legendary Weasley twins and that I wanted their help in performing a huge prank on the famous Harry Potter. They were quite willing to give me the password and do whatever I asked. They made sure the common room was empty when you came downstairs this morning, and they were the ones who so kindly spread the word to have the common room empty when you came back from Quiditch practice."  
  
"What are you doing here then, George?"  
  
"Fred called in for reinforcements and supplies. I obliged."  
  
"It's a two for one special, you know," said Fred.  
  
George finished, "You mess with one of us, you mess with both of us."  
  
Harry gave up and sat down, not too close to them. "How did you do it? I want the whole story."  
  
"Well, I got the password. I came back later last night and snuck up to your dormitory when Seamus, Dean, and Neville went in. They knew I was there. I hexed a few things after you were asleep, but I made sure the changes wouldn't occur until someone showed you a mirror. Except for the makeup. I made that show up immediately, to peak interest and give our buddy Draco something to work with. The first years kept anyone from coming downstairs before you."  
  
George picked up the story, "I went to pay a visit to dear Draco Malfoy. I waited outside the Slytherin house under an invisibility cloak, complimentary of you, Harry, and I pulled him over when he came out. I gave him the mirror and said, 'you want to embarrass, Potter? Show this to him at breakfast'. He was quite willing when I explained just what would happen to you." He pulled Harry's invisibility cloak out from underneath him and Harry snatched it back. George grinned. "We found it hidden in your trunk. Since you never told us about it, we thought it only right to use it against you.  
  
"I split your bag open on your way to Defense Against the Dark Arts."  
  
"I developed the pictures I had the first years take and I put them up on the wall."  
  
The twins grinned even more mischievously than usual; revenge was sweet. No one beat the Weasley twins. They were the best in the business.  
  
"Did Dumbledore know about any of this?" asked Harry, finally.  
  
"Oh, yeah. Old Dumby knew. He didn't know exactly what we were planning but I got permission to do whatever I thought necessary and he promised to keep interference to a minimum. He said he would only have Madam Pomfrey removed jinxes and curses that prohibited you from functioning normally in a classroom." Now that George had gotten up, Fred stretched full length on the sofa.  
  
George was tacking an order form to the Gryffindor bulletin board. "You were the advertisement for some of our newest products, Harriet. Pass these out to the other houses." He dropped a stack of flyers.  
  
George shouted, "Weasleys Wizard Wheezes!" as he threw a pinch of green powder in the fire and disappeared.  
  
Fred said, "The rest of the effects will wear off at midnight. If any of the girls are interested in looking like you, tell them it won't work. Our products our for amusement, not beauty, so a lot of what we tested on you (other than the animal stuff) only works on guys." He shouted, "Weasleys Wizard Wheezes!" and disappeared in the fire. He and his twin both stuck there heads back through and said, "Remember, don't mess with the masters, little boy. If you play with fire, you'll get burned!" They disappeared again.  
  
Crowds of people swarmed down both staircases, laughing and grabbing order forms.  
  
Game over, thought Harry. The Weasley twins win. They always won.  
  
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So, what do you think? Do you still feel bad for Fred? *grin* I'll try and post more soon but after all that fun Valentines business, it'll take a little thinking, and I want to try and update Artemis Fowl and Fortress of Shadows this weekend. *looks guiltily at neglected fics gathering dust* So I might not post again 'til next week, unless my muse happens to jam something into my brain and threatens to make my fingers explode. Right now I have no clue what the next chapter will be (but don't be worried, 'cause that's usually the case).  
  
Now one last question, who feels bad for Harry? 


	50. Pictures and Legilimency

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter. 'Tis a shame really, but, hey, I wish I owned him, I don't.

I've got some responses to the last reviews. I was trying to show Harry as vulnerable in the last chapter. Even he's not immune to everything. I can't promise whether or not he'll get his revenge. I don't know if he _should _get revenge really. I'll explain more during this chapter and you'll see. This chapter is pretty long compared to a lot of my other ones. *sigh* Can you believe it's been 50 chapters? *tear* But it's only 135 pages so far, my Order of the Phoenix fic is actually a lot longer. . . Never mind. On with the chapter!

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            There wasn't any good outcome for Harry from the Weasley twins' pranks. The news soon spread throughout the school that the Weasley twins had made a cameo appearance just after Valentine's Day and pranked the great Harry Potter. Everyone was delighted to learn that it was the twins who had caused Harry such humiliation and that they could buy their products thanks to the special order forms they'd left. He would have to wait quietly for cold revenge. Revenge was, after all, a dish best served cold; but he was sure that it would be icy by the time a good opportunity came up.

            Harry had tried to burn them but they refused to catch fire and the first years started passing them out.

            Ron, Ginny, and Hermione stood staunchly by him throughout it all, but even they laughed. Especially Ron and Ginny. They should have been sympathetic! They grew up with the twins and knew what it was like! Maybe they were just glad that the twins had had their fun at someone else's expense for a change. Hermione did better than the younger Weasleys, but the laughing still hurt.

            Luna was the only one who didn't laugh. Although she did pass one comment about taking him bra shopping.

            Oh, well. No one was perfect.

            It was a month, almost mid-March before the giggles and taunts completely stopped. Harry had to admit, the twins were good. Professionals. The best at what they did. He just wished they hadn't chosen him. Then again, after everything he and Luna did to Fred, he supposed he had it coming.

            Dumbledore hadn't said a word about it to him. Not a single word.

            McGonagall, however, had. She had asked him to stay after class the next day.     

            "Mister Potter, I am well aware of who . . . pranked you yesterday. As is the Headmaster."

            "I know. Your point, Professor?"

            Her nostrils flared in irritation. "The point, Mister Potter, is why we allowed it to continue when we could have easily put an end to it."

            "And that would be?"

            "You need to understand that we have your safety at heart. It was and still is necessary for someone to follow you around and prevent any ill from reaching you."

            "You just want me so I can save the world."

            "The truth is, Harry, whatever will happen has already been decided."

            "But . . ." Harry knew her feelings toward Professor Trelawny, and toward Divination as a whole.

            "Whatever will happen, will happen, all we can do is try to sway events in the right direction. The best way for us to do that is to make sure you have every possible chance of succeeding. If you are injured or impaired in any way, your chances, and ours, are diminished greatly. Do you care?"

            "About what?"

            "Anything. Any person. Any place. Hogwarts. Your friends. Do you care?"

            "Yeah, of course I do."

            "Without you, all of it will crumble, Harry. All of it."

            "This . . . this is a lot, Professor. I don't know if I can do it all."

            "You won't have to do it alone, Harry. That's what we have been trying to tell you. That is what your friends have tried to tell you. You don't need to go it alone. They have always stood by you and they always will. That's what true friends do."

            He asked quietly, "What about Peter? What if there's another Pettigrew lurking in our midst and we don't even know it? What will happen then?"

            "I don't know, Harry. We can only hope and pray. And have faith that things will turn out alright in the end."

            "My friends . . ."

            "Harry, your friends have always stood strong by you. Mister Longbottom stood up to you when he thought you needed it back in your first year. That very same night, Mister Weasley sacrificed himself for you, and Miss Granger pulled your butt through the fire. Second year again your friends stood strong by you. Miss Granger focused all her energy on solving the mystery the three of you were wrapped in and Mister Weasley went down into the Chamber itself with you. And he put up with that blathering idiot Lockhart. Third year—"

            "I get it, Professor! But I don't want them in harm's way." Especially Luna.

            "It's too late for that, Harry. We're all in this together." She squeezed his shoulder. "All of us. Remember that. Dumbledore allowed what happened because he felt you needed to learn a lesson. To learn that danger can lie around any corner. And above all to learn to respect those that care for you. If you have nothing else to say, you are dismissed."

            He nodded and walked away. Whatever she said, he would not be putting his friends in danger. Not if he could help it.

            All of this way three weeks past. He didn't tell his friends what McGonagall had said. Or what Fred and George had said about Dumbledore knowing. Harry avoided Dumbledore at the Occlumency lessons.

            It was the exams and just passing time that had taken the focus away from Harry. It was only mid-March but early study bunnies were already beginning review. Hermione among them. And even though most of the population didn't begin this early, they couldn't help noticing those who did, and feeling nervous.

            Not much had changed in his relationship with Luna since they'd officially become boyfriend and girlfriend. Their conversations and attitudes were about the same. The same easy friendship was still there. The only real difference was that now, they kissed sometimes. It wasn't every time they saw each other, or anything obsessive like that. Just when they wanted to. It wasn't always (or often) for a long time either. Sometimes it was a short, sweet kiss, a peck on the mouth. Other times it was longer. Sometimes even, she slipped her tongue in his mouth (or his in hers). But the thing was, kissing wasn't what was important in their relationship, it was the communication and the relationship that mattered. No matter what, they were still friends first and foremost. By an unspoken agreement, they never kissed during, before, or after the Legilimency lessons. Something about it just wouldn't have been right. They were in an empty classroom, studying, by a teacher's special permission. It certainly wouldn't have been right.

            Luna was the only one he told about Dumbledore knowing that the twins would attack him, and about McGonagall's response. She didn't seem at all surprised, but then again, things rarely really surprised her. Harry was sure that if one day, the sun didn't rise, she would hardly bat an eye.

            One day (still mid-March), they were just lounging around McGonagall's room after deciding that they'd done enough Legilimency for the day. Harry really was improving.

            "What do you think of teaching Occlumency to the members of the D.A.?" asked Luna, sitting on top of McGonagall's desk, swinging her legs back and forward as usual.

            "What?" asked Harry. He was leaning against one of the desks.

            "Between you, me, and Ginny, we ought to manage. Some of them are taking Dumbledore's Occlumency lessons anyway."

            "Ginny?"

            "Yeah. Her lessons are the hour before dinner. Yours the hour after."

            "You didn't tell me she was taking lessons."

            "You didn't ask. She hasn't been taking them as long as you. She started a few weeks after. She's really quite good. Between the three of us, we ought to manage. What do you think?"

            "I think it's a great idea. I'll talk to Ginny tonight and we can start at Sunday's meeting. You're bloody brilliant, Luna." He almost kissed her, but changed his mind and hugged her instead. As he hugged her he picked her up off the desk and spun her around a few times holding her waist and keeping her several inches from the ground. She laughed. He started laughing to and set her gently on her feet.

            They left the classroom and started up the stairs. No one was around. "Harry?"

            "Yeah?"

            "Do you ever think about sliding down these?"

            "What? You mean like the steps would disappear and become a ramp, like the girls' dormitory stairs do when a boy tries to get in?"

            She quirked an eyebrow. "How did you know that?"

            He laughed. "Ron tried to get in last year to tell Hermione something important."

            "What actually meant was do you ever think of sliding down the banisters? All these stairs at Hogwarts . . ."

            He stared at her. "I haven't thought about doing that since I was a first year!"

            "Have you ever done it?"

            "No."

            "Well why not? There's nobody around."

            He took a deep breath. It sounded like fun actually. "Only if you do too."

            "Deal."

            "I'll go first so I can catch you when you get to the bottom."

            "Okay." She smiled shyly.

            Harry climbed on top of the rail and went sliding down very quickly, landing at the bottom with a thud. He laughed, "That was great! Come on!"

            Harry watched her climbed on and composed herself very careful, adjust her robes and whatnot, before she let go so she could slide. Giggling, she came down like a speeding bullet and landed in Harry's outstretched arms as he twirled her around like before, both of them laughing hard. Harry and she continued to spin until he caught sight of something, then he slowly slowed and put her back on her feet gently.

            "Hello, Harry, Luna," said a voice.

            "Hi, Professor Dumbledore. Hi, Terry," Harry said sheepishly.

            "Enjoying yourselves?" asked Dumbledore, brightly.

            "We were just done with our tutoring, Professor," said Harry.

            Terry snorted. It was common knowledge that the famous Harry Potter was dating Looney Lovegood. And after Looney's reaction to what happened to him the day after Valentine's day who couldn't know? Besides, Terry was in Ravenclaw. "Tutoring", probably snogging in an empty classroom.

            "Yes, I know, Harry. I am aware of what day today is and what time it is," said Dumbledore. "But it's getting late, it's probably best you go back to your houses."

            "Okay, Professor. Goodnight."

            "Watch out for bed bugs," said Luna in her dreamy voice (the first time she'd spoken since they'd seen Dumbledore and Terry).

            Terry followed them up the stairs. "You two are my next picture," he said.

            "Are we a portrait or a comic?" It was Luna's still dreamy, but almost sensible voice.

            "I haven't decided yet. Whichever it is, I'll show you at the next D.A. meeting. Goodbye, lovebirds." He started jogging ahead eagerly.

            Harry asked, "Picture?"

            "Most people outside Ravenclaw don't know it, but Terry draws. All the time. He draws nice pictures and comics too. I wonder which we'll be."

            Harry recalled seeing a parchment a few months ago that someone had been passing around. It was a drawing of a bunch of students pushing Snape head first into a soapy cauldron. He'd wondered who had drawn it.

            "He doesn't sign his pictures, even the comics. But he's more shy about his nice pictures. You might remember the little comic one he did titled 'Take a bath, Grease Ball'."

            "Yeah, I do! But how would he make ours a comic?"

            "Oh, he could draw you holding me like you were when we were spinning around and have you say 'Have you been putting on some weight? I think my arms are going to break'. Or have me say, 'I'm getting dizzy'."

            "Luna, you know I'd never say that."

            "I know. But it'd look funny in the picture."

            "That's true." He smiled at her. He looked back and saw Dumbledore sliding down the banister. He nudged Luna and she looked too.

            They both laughed. Their headmaster was behaving like a child, but what else was new?

            Harry, by this time, had a pretty good idea for where the Ravenclaw house was and walked with her most of the way.

            "Goodnight," he said.

            "Goodnight. Pleasant dreams."

            "Pleasant dreams." He gave her a hug and started the trek to Gryffindor Tower. He found Ginny sitting alone in the windowsill. "Hey, Gin."

            "Oh, hi, Harry. What's up?"

            "I was wondering if you'd mind at the next D.A. meeting . . ." he explained.

            She listened until he finished speaking. "No problem." She patted him on the back and went off to bed.

            Sunday came and so did the D.A. meeting.

            Harry, Luna, Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Ginny were the first to get there and the others trailed in afterward. Harry willed there to be pillows on the floor instead of desks when they came in and the Room of Requirement obliged. Terry came last and brought with him a folder with some papers in it.

            One of the Ravenclaws asked, "Terry, what you got there? The latest in Life At Hogwarts?"

            He nodded and started passing out pictures. "Padma used a duplication charm to make copies of them for me." He gave out the last two pictures to Luna and Harry.

            Harry heard Ron give a snort of laughter and he looked at the picture. Luna's hair stuck out every which way (which it didn't actually do anymore) and she was wearing the necklace Harry had given her, with the radish earrings as he twirled her around. Harry' s scar was drawn dark and bold and his hair was rumpled. A speech bubble above him said, "Jeez, you're fat, did you put on some weight?" and a speech bubble above Luna said, "No, but I'm dizzy enough to puke". Over the top was the title "Kooky Couples of Hogwarts #1".

            "It's my latest series. I think I'm going to do a bunch of drawings like this of different couples. The Snape and Malfoy ones I've been doing are getting kind of old." He bit his lip. "I drew another one too. But you can't show this to anybody." He pulled out one more.

            This own was done in paint and it was beautiful. It was the same scene, Harry twirling Luna around at the bottom of the stairs. But they both looked happy (as they really had looked). Luna's hair was smooth and there were no radishes in her ears, only star earrings. She was wearing a gorgeous pale blue dress, kind of old fashion and puffy at the bottom, with puffy sleeves. Harry's hair was somewhat smoother and you couldn't even see his scar. He was in a dark tux. It was phenomenal. Looking at the picture, Harry could almost feel like he could hear Luna laughing softly and as though there was music playing.

            "Wow."

            Terry shrugged. "I just thought the other picture was kind of mean and I wanted to do something nice."

            "It's lovely," said Luna.

            "I like to keep all of my pictures, but you can have somebody make a copy. But I don't want everybody to see this."

            "If you stay after the meeting, Hermione can make a copy. She knows the charm," said Harry.

            "Okay."

            Harry moved to the front of the room. Everybody was still laughing at the comic drawings being passed around the room. "Okay, okay, that's enough," he said, putting up his hands. They continued to chuckle.

            "Harry, did she puke on you?" asked one of the younger members.

            "No," he said, exasperated. "Now, I've got something very important for you to do today. We're going to teach you Occlumency."

            Most of the students looked confused, though a few of the pure-bloods looked startled.

            "Who's 'we'?" asked Zacharias.

            Ginny and Luna advanced to the front of the room and stood on either side of Harry. "Us."

            "They're fifth years!" protested somebody.

            Luna flicked her wand at him and disarmed him while Ginny delivered a flying bat bogey hex.

            Harry laughed. "Looks like the little fifth years just did a pretty good job on you."

            The boy glared, red-faced while Hermione came and un-hexed him and returned his wand.

            "All right then. We're Legilimensists. It's kind of like we're mind readers. We're going to try to read your mind and you've got to block us out. Who's brave enough to go up against the toughest Legilimensist here?"

            Zacharias sauntered up. "I'll go against you, Potter."

            Harry laughed and shook his head. "Not me. I said the _toughest_. That means Luna."

            "She's the toughest?"

            "Yeah," said Ginny.

            Luna did a smart move where she pressed down on the tip of her wand and it flipped out from behind her ear and into her hand. "I'm going to attempt to break into your mind. Try to keep me out. Hex me. Curse me. Defend yourself. Whatever you _think_ might work. On three."

            Harry could tell that Zacharias didn't like the look in Luna's eyes. "I'll count," said Ginny, stepping between them. "1 . . . 2 . . . 3!"

            "_Legilimens_!" shouted Luna.

            Zacharias shouted several indistinct things. A spell missed Luna by about 3 feet and bounced off the wall. Zacharias fell to his knees clutching his head. When Luna dropped her wand, he didn't get up. He didn't move when she stretched out her hand to help him. He got unsteadily to his feet on his own. He glared at her, but his eyes were wet. Harry heard him whisper, "Did you see everything I saw?"

            "Parts of it," she said calmly. "Go sit down."

            He took a couple of tottering steps. Ginny took his arm and led him back to sit on one of the cushions.

            A couple of people laughed nervously until Luna turned her unwavering stare on them. "Would you like to try?"

            "N-n-no," they said.

            "As Zacharias has just been so kind to demonstrate, Occlumency is not easy for most people. Anyone else care to try?" Her eyes landed on Neville. "How about you?"

            "No, Luna, I don't think it's a good idea."

            "We've given Neville a few practice lessons so you'd have an idea of what _should_ happen," Luna said cheerfully. "Come here now."

            Neville came, but didn't look very happy.

            Harry heard her whisper, "Would you rather it be me or Ginny?"

            The thought of his girlfriend knowing his worst fears and such was extremely terrifying. He whispered, "You."

            "Good. Okay, clear your mind, Neville."

            "You never told me to clear my mind!"

            "Shut up, Smith," snarled Ron.

            "Ready, Neville?"

            "Yeah." He had his wand out.

            On the count of three, Luna shouted her spell and Neville used a stinging hex. It missed her narrowly. But he managed to keep his concentration enough to try again and this time he hit her. But she managed to block it before it reached her. She broke the spell. "Well done, Neville."

            "You went easy on Longbottom, didn't you?"

            She smiled sweetly at Zacharias. "No, I didn't. Actually, I was going easy on _you_."

            He glared and his face turned red.

            They divided up the groups, giving a mix to each of them so that all three Legilimensists had some who had taken Occlumency and some who hadn't. They each had 7 students. It was time to get to work. Harry's group consisted of Muriel, Hermione, Zacharias, Colin, Ernie, Lavender, and Terry. "Arrange the cushions in a circle," he told his group. They rearranged them with puzzled looks on their faces. "We're going to try and meditate. It's the easiest way to clear your mind and it really works."

            "How are we supposed to meditate?"

            "Well, sit down on the cushion. Better yet, lay down. And shut your eyes."

            "This is stupid," said the Hufflepuff. "Whose idea is this anyway?"

            "Luna's. And it's very effective. It's the only way I was able to learn, so shut your trap before I attempt a less pleasant method."

            Grumbling, he did as Harry told him.

            "Now, concentrate on your breathing. Slow, deep breaths. Easy. Don't think about anything. Just concentrate. Relax. Get rid of all your thoughts. Get rid of all your emotions. Get rid of all your tensions. There's no threat. No big test coming up. You never have to take final exams." Eventually he got them to a pretty relaxed state, he thought.

            "Who wants to volunteer to go first?"

            "I'll have a go at it," said Terry.

            "Okay. The most effective weapon here isn't going to be your wand. It's going to be your mind. So put that down."

            Slowly, Terry dropped his wand down on the cushion.

            "I'm going to attempt to break into your mind. Just will me not to do it. When I get in I'm going to see what you fear, what you hate, what you don't want me to know, so don't let me in." He turned to Zacharias, "Isn't that right?"

            He mumbled something under his breath.

            "On three, Terry. Somebody count."

            Hermione said, "One . . . two . . . three!"

            "_Legilimens_!" Harry shouted.

            Terry seemed to be able to hold his own for a bit. But not long. Harry saw images of a boy who looked like Terry (but younger) being bullied, he saw people standing around and taunting, he saw him dancing at the Yule Ball in fourth year, he saw someone tearing beautiful paintings to shreds, and a dozen other images. Harry broke the connection. That was enough. Terry kept his feet. He looked pale and he was sweating. He shivered. "Pretty good, Boot. Next?"

            Hermione was excellent of course, and so were Muriel and Colin. Then again, the three of them had been doing it all year. Ernie didn't do very well, Lavender did slightly better. Zacharias was the worst. He was having serious issues.

            At the end of the meeting, he asked Zacharias and Terry to stay. "Terry, I need to talk to you. You too, Zacharias."

            They remained behind.

            He tried to take an objective tone, "Smith, you need to get over your anger and your fear and your embarrassment and your hate. Every time it got easier for me to break into your mind. Every time. That's not supposed to happen. Was your mind clear?"

            "Yes," he sulked.

            "I don't think it was. You've got to learn to clear it. If you want, I can transfer you into Luna's group. I'm not the best at this. She was the one who taught me. Do you want to switch?"

            "No! Don't put me in her group."

            "What about in Ginny's group?" he asked, exasperated.

            "Ron and Neville are both in that group. They'd have my hide for sure."

            "What are you talking about?"

            "Nothing. Can I leave yet?"

            "Yeah. Just try to focus more." Harry sighed. Things were not going well.

            "What did you need me for, Harry?"

            "You're doing really well Terry. I just wanted you to know that. And since Hermione's still here I figured we could copy the picture. I've got a spare piece of parchment." Luna, Terry, Harry, Hermione, and Ron were the only people still in the room.

            Hermione performed the charm. "This picture is wonderful. Did you do this, Terry?"

            He nodded.

            "Wow." She handed the copy back to Harry and the original to Terry.

            Terry left the room immediately, mumbling something about having to be somewhere.

            "I didn't know he was so artistic," she said.

            "He doesn't tell many people," said Harry.

            Luna was silently staring off into space.

            "I've got to go do some studying, come, Ron," said Hermione.

            "Oh, yeah, right." As he passed by Harry he mouthed, "Save me!"

            Harry laughed.            

            "Something funny?" asked Hermione, turning back.

            "No." Harry was left standing alone with Luna. He moved closer to her and took her hands as they sat down. "How'd your group do?"

            She rolled her head to get some kinks out of her neck. "Not bad. Not great, but not bad. Yours?"

            "Terry shows promise I think. I think he's motivated. Zacharias on the other hand can't get past his emotions."

            "Why does that sound like someone I know?" she teased.

            "He's a git. I wonder if he'll grow out of it?"

            "He could join my group."

            "He doesn't want to. He's terrified of you."

            "What about Ginny's group?"

            "He said that Ron and Neville would kill him?"

            "Oh, I wonder what happened there? I heard he fancied a certain Weasley girl."

            "Really? No wonder he doesn't want to join her group."

            "What about the others?"

            "I think it's still too early. Ernie might be okay; Lavender seems pretty good. Anybody particular in your group?"

            "Too early to tell." She stood up, still holding Harry's hand, and they walked out into the hallway.

            "You want to go for a walk outside until dinner?"

            "Okay."

            They spent the next hour or so walking by the lake talking (and sometimes doing a little kissing).

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Okay, so what did you think?****


	51. Binns in the Hall Lately?

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters mentioned in this chapter. I do not own most of the characters mentioned in this fic. Too bad for me. On with the reading!

Yay! I updated.

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            Harry wandered aimlessly through the school. There was nothing to do. For once, all his homework was done and he had no appointments for the night. Luna was probably in her common room right now; he hadn't seen her all day except at meals.

            He wondered what he should do. It wasn't often lately that he had any spare time.

            "Hello, Mister Potter."

            Harry looked up. The only person in sight was the ghost of Professor Binns. Binns had _never_ talked to him before. Harry didn't even know he knew his name. "Er, hi, Professor Binns."

            "I would like a word with you, James."

            _James_? thought Harry. _He thinks I'm my father!_ "You would, Professor?"

            "Yes, yes, come along to my classroom. It's about your last test. You didn't do as well as you should have. I can set you up with an excellent tutor. Let's discuss this while we have a cup of tea."

            Harry shrugged. Binns was sure acting weird. His voice wasn't even monotone tonight. The last test he'd taken for Binns's class had been last year. "Alright." He had nothing else to do, so he followed the ghost. Tonight might prove interesting after all.

            They were halfway to the history of magic room when Sir Nicholas and the Grey Lady found them. "Ah, hello, Harry, Bernard. We were looking for you, Harry." Harry realized that "Bernard" must have been Professor Binns.

            Professor Binns blinked. "Not Harry."

            "What?" asked Nick.

            "Who's Harry? That's James. James Potter."

            The Grey Lady approached him and said gently, "No, Bernard. He's gone. This is his son. This is Harry."

            "That looks like James, it _is_ James," he said stubbornly. "James doesn't have a son, he's only 16. This is James and I'm sure Lilly will be along any moment now."

            Grey Lady argued softly with Professor Binns while Nick took Harry aside to explain things. "Harry, we aren't alive. Nothing can be done to us. Or rather, nearly nothing." He was clearly remembering the basilisk that had attacked him 4 years before. "And yet something has happened to Professor Binns. He's not been acting like himself the past week and he is convinced that you are your father. We're very concerned for him."

            "Other than the fact that he doesn't know who I am, he doesn't know who most people are, I don't really see any problems."

            "Harry, he's suffering some sort of emotional trauma. He thinks it's the nineteen-seventies and that he still alive. We caught him in the kitchen earlier trying to _eat_ for goodness sake. He didn't understand why he couldn't do it when he tried."

            "What do you think might have caused this?"

            "We don't know. We came looking for you tonight because we were worried he might tell you . . . _things_." Nick had hesitated before the last word; it was obviously not the whole truth.

            "What _things_, Nick? Tell me."

            "Just, information. He knew your parents well. Your mother was his favorite student. That sort of thing."

            Harry knew Nick still wasn't being completely honest with him. "There's more to it that you're not telling me, Nick." He stared at the ghost, but Nick remained unaffected by his glare. "I think you need to talk to Dumbledore. I think _he_ needs to talk to Dumbledore."

            Nick shook his head. "We tried reasoning with him. He won't listen to a word we say. I tried, the Friar tried, even the Baron has tried. Nothing is working."

            Harry didn't like this. "I've got to be going back to Gryffindor Tower, Nick."

            "All right, Harry. Just, anything he says to you, forget it."

            Harry started to leave.

            "James? James Potter?" called Professor Binns as Harry was walking away. His voice started to get louder, frantic. "Come back here now. James! Come back or I'll take house points and give you detention! JAMES!"

            Harry wasn't exactly sure why, but he ran. He ran as though there were an axe-murderer running after him.

            He was out of breath and gasping for air when he reached the common room.

            "Harry! What's wrong?" asked Hermione, concerned.

            Ron led him over to the couch by the fire. "Sit. You look awful, mate."

            "Binns thinks he's alive."

            "What?" asked Ginny, bewildered. This was the last year she would have to take Binns's class and she was thankful for it.

            "He thinks he's alive. He thinks he's in the nineteen-seventies. And thinks I'm my dad." Harry's breathing slowed a little bit. "He tried to get me in his classroom to have a cup of tea and discuss the bad grade I got on my last test."

            "But, how does he think, what . . .?"

            "I don't know, but he _does_. And he knows something. Something Nick and probably a bunch of other people don't want to me to know."

            "What could that be?" asked Ron.

            "I don't know, but tomorrow I'm going to the library and see if I can find out anything."

            "We'll come help," said Hermione.

            "I'll check the trophy room. Maybe there will be something there. Like a plaque that could explain something about his past," suggested Ginny.

            "Good idea. You check there and the three of us will cover the library," said Ron.

            "Two," said Harry.

            "What?"

            "I'm going to question teachers. See what they know. You two can research the library."

            "Good idea."

            "Hey, anybody know how Binns died?" asked Harry suddenly.

            They all shook their heads. "No. Why?"

            "Something tells me it's important." He frowned. "Well, I'm going to sleep on it and see if we've got any better luck tomorrow."

            "Yeah, all right, Harry," said Ron. "I'll be there in a bit."

            Harry went up the stairs and into his dormitory. He shut the door and put on his pajamas. Drinking a glass of water from the bedside pitcher before he climbed into bed. Things were weird. Definitely weird. What did Binns know that someone didn't want Harry to know? It must be important. Harry had never considered how he died before. Everyone knew about Nick getting chopped in the neck with a blunt axe. No one really knew about how the Bloody Baron died, but they knew it had been violent. Harry and a select few knew that Myrtle had been killed in her bathroom stall by the basilisk more than 50 years ago. But Binns? Nobody ever gave him a second thought. The story went that he had died in his sleep one night and just got up the next day, teaching as though everything was normal. They said the _only_ change in his routine in all these years since he died had been that he entered the room through the blackboard. A few of them even said they didn't think he knew he was dead. Well, know they were right. He didn't think he was dead. But Harry was beginning to suspect that there was something more behind his death. With these thoughts tumbling through his mind, he fell asleep.

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**I hope you liked this. I wrote it once, crumpled it up, and completely rewrote it. Originally Harry was going to talk to the Bloody Baron. Then for some reason my mind said, "NO! BINNS!" so my fingers obeyed. There was going to be some big meeting and Binns was going to be coming back to life but that is A) Impossible even in the world of HP (though anybody who denies Sirius's death doesn't want to hear that, I'm sure) and B) I didn't like it. So there it is. Sorry it's been so long since I updated but I was kind of stuck on where to go. All I had was "Harry wandered the halls aimlessly, surprised to have a free night for once". Review please. I'll try to post the next chapter soon.**


	52. An Unlikely Source of Answers

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anyone else in this chapter.

Sorry about the wait. Finals week. Tomorrow's my last one. Math. Eww. And then winter formal! Weeee! Fun. *grin* And then babysitting Saturday, sleepover Monday, then CHRISTMAS! And Hanukah and Ramadan, right? Happy Holidays!

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Chapter 52: An Unlikely Source of Answers

            Harry questioned the teachers that day. He knew that Snape, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick, and Delano were his best choices. Snape went to school with his parents and probably knew as much as anyone, but Harry wasn't even going to try and ask him. Harry's next thought was Dumbledore, but the Headmaster was absent at breakfast (and later at lunch). Harry decided Flitwick might possibly be easier to manipulate than McGonagall.

            "Professor Flitwick?"

            "Oh, hello, Harry!"

            "I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment."

            "Why, yes. Of course. What is it?"

            "I want to write a paper on the ghosts of this school and I was wondering if I could talk to you about them. Some of them seem a little reluctant to tell me things."

            "Really?" Harry thought he heard a catch in Flitwick's squeaky voice.

            "Yes. Like how the Bloody Baron died."

            Flitwick shook his head. "I don't know. I think the Headmaster knows."

            "Oh, okay then. Well what about Professor Binns?"

            "He might know how the Baron died," he said thoughtfully.

            "Thanks, that's a good suggestion. But I was wondering if you could tell me how _he_ died?"

            "I'm sorry, Harry, perhaps we can finish our chat later?" He scurried off.

            Harry moved on to McGonagall's office. "Professor—"

            "Harry, I know you would like to learn about how Professor Binns died, but right now, that is privileged information."

            "Professor, I'm sure you and the Headmaster and everybody else involved have very good reasons for not wanting me to know this, but let's look at this logically, shall we? We're both rational people. I'm going to find out, that's a given. I always find out. So why not save us both some time and trouble and tell me now?"

            "Mr. Potter!" she said sternly.

            "Professor, how long have we known each other?" he asked patiently.

            "Well, I knew you as an infant and I've known you well these last six years. What's your point?"

            "My point is that you know somewhere along the line, somebody always slips up or I hear things not meant for my ears and I found out what I want to know anyway. You know me well enough to know that I _will_ find out, Professor. I'm resourceful enough to learn anything I set my mind to."

            "Then why don't you set your mind on learning that spell in class to transfigure yourself into a reptile, hmm?" She seemed on the brink of telling him what he wanted to know, but changed her mind. "This little conference is over, Potter. The door is behind you."

            He shrugged. "That's okay, Professor. I'm going to find out anyway. I've got people working on this all over the school. Something's bound to come up, isn't it?" He smiled placidly and walked out, knowing that his transfiguration teacher was glaring at him. _Hmmm_, he thought. _Maybe that's why Luna smiles so much! 'Cause she knows it annoys people!_ He laughed and went down to Hagrid's hut and found Hagrid outside, gardening.

            "Hey, Hagrid," he said cheerily.

            " 'Ello, 'Arry! Whatcha up ter?"

            "Oh, not much. Just thought I'd come pay my buddy a visit."

            "Where're Ron an' Hermione?"

            "Up in the library doing some research. I'm so glad I'm not taking history of magic anymore. Research and essays for that class took hours and hours."

            "Never liked that one much meself. Though Binns was a little less borin' when he was alive."

            Harry almost grinned, could Hagrid make this any easier? "You knew him when he was alive?"

            "Sure did. He only passed on about twenty years ago. Give or take about 4. Maybe a little more. Never paid much attention to him meself."

            "So how did he die?"

            "Oh, die? Hmm . . . lemme think . . . I remember it was odd . . ." He frowned in thought.

            Unfortunately for Harry, just then Flitwick, McGonagall, and Snape reached Hagrid's hut, all somewhat out of breath. "HAGRID! Don't tell him anything!"

            "What? You don' even know what he asked about."

            "Yes, we do. Don't say a word. The Headmaster has asked us to tell you so."

            "Sorry, 'Arry. If it's Dumbledore's orders . . ."

            "I understand." Harry almost glared at his teachers, but decided instead to smile, which earned him a glare from the three of them. He waved cheery goodbyes and went back to the castle. Who else was there? Delano. She'd never really seemed to get along with McGonagall very well. Maybe they hadn't gotten to her yet. He went as quickly as he could to her office and knocked.

            "Come in, Harry!"

            Harry hesitated. How did she know it was him?

            "I said come in, I haven't got all day, boy." She pulled the door open. "I know what you're hear to talk about and I see no reason not to tell you when, how, or why Professor Binns died. I see know reason not to tell you his relationship with your parents."

            "Really?" This is was something of a shock.

            "Sit." She pointed to a comfortable sofa and the stepped behind her desk to sit in a cushy armchair. "Professor Binns died 18 years ago. He was a member of the Order that myself, your Headmaster, and others we both know, belong to. He was poisoned. He received a letter one night and opened it. When he opened it he inhaled deadly spores. Some of the students didn't want to believe this and started to spread the story that he had merely died of his old age, that there was no sinister plot."

            "What about him and my parents?"

            "Well, your mother was his favorite student and he often did encourage her to spend time with your father often. He nearly always paired them up for when James needed tutoring in his class. As for your father's relationship to him, perhaps he would be so kind as to explain it to you. Bernard!"

            "Yes, Jenny? What did you do to land yourself in the office of the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor? This is the third time I've seen you here this week, if you're not careful you'll get detention." He caught sight of Harry. "James! How's my favorite nephew doing? We never got to finish that little chat about your last test score."

            Harry's jaw dropped wide. He hadn't expected this. He hadn't expected this at all. _Nephew_? Or rather, his dad was his nephew. Which would make him Binns's great-nephew. But then what about the last name? Shouldn't it be Potter? he thought.

            "The names are not the same because he was your father's mother's brother, not your father's father's brother."

            "Oh." That explained it. "But why doesn't McGonagall want me to know?"

            "Because, I didn't think you needed anymore tragedy in your life. You've already got plenty of dead relatives, I didn't think you wanted one more," came a voice from the doorway.

            "Minerva, I've asked you to knock before entering my office," she said icily. "I am not a student here. I am your colleague."

            "And you are mine, so as such you must respect my right to keep information from certain students without interfering." Her nostrils flared. "Potter, you are dismissed."

            "I have not finished talking to him. I'd like to discuss his grade in my class," she smirked.

            "Potter, you are dismissed," repeated Professor McGonagall.

            "Go, Harry. We'll finish our little chat later, shall we?" said Delano.

            Harry nodded and left. Another case of old people trying to shelter him. He went to the library to tell his friends they could stop searching through books now.


	53. Hospital

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anybody in this chapter.

Sorry the last couple chapters were weird. Here's the next one. Hope it's better. Please review and Happy Holidays!

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            "So she just _told_ you?"

            "Yeah. Weird, huh?"

            "Well, I don't know," said Hermione.

            "How do you mean?"

            "She never really seemed to get along especially with her before. The other teachers all seemed to keep a little bit of a distance from her actually," said Hermione.

            "Yeah, you're right, I guess," said Harry, leaning back in the chair and closed his eyes for a moment.

            He woke when Ginny and Hermione were shaking him. "Harry, get up! Dobby just came and told us. It's Luna. She was attacked."

            At the words "Luna" and "attacked" he sat up immediately. "What?"

            "She's in the hospital wing."

            He got up and ran out, not even bothering to put on his shoes, he shouted a quick, "Thanks, girls!" over his shoulder and ran.

            He was winded by the time he got to the hospital wing. "Madam Pomfrey," he gasped. "Is Luna alright?"

            Madam Pomfrey looked almost amused at his concern, but he didn't notice. "She'll live, Mr. Potter."

            "Can I—?"

            "Yes, yes, you can go see her. Right in the first bed."

            "Thank you." He went past her and to the bed with the curtains drawn around it. "Luna? Luna? Are you okay?"

            She was lying in the bed, propped up on pillows. Her arm was in a sling and there were cat ears growing out of the top of her head, though those were slowly shrinking.

            "Are you okay?" he repeated, sitting on the edge of the bed and holding her hand.

            "I'll be okay."

            "What happened?"

            "Death Eaters, or students with Death Eater masks, came up behind me and started hexing me. I fended them off at first but it was 4 on one. Out of all the curses they used only the cat ear one stuck. I managed to block the rest, the more dangerous ones."

            "Then how did you get your arm broken?"

            "Fighting, we knocked over a statue. I ended up tripping over a statue when they ran off. I don't know why they aren't up here. Probably tried to heal themselves. I didn't do anything major to them, only enough to keep them away."

            "Whoever they are, I'll get them. They can't do this to you!" he said angrily.

            "Don't worry. It'll all be okay." She smiled placidly at him.

            "How?" he demanded. "Tell me how."

            "How what?"

            Student Death Eater attacks at school? This was going too far. Luna had done nothing wrong. She didn't deserve to get attacked just because she was his girlfriend; it wasn't fair! He took a deep breath, "Tell me how you can be so can calm and know it's all going to be right! Because right now, I seriously doubt it!"

             "If you fall off the edge of the earth, you've just got to keep falling and eventually the universe will embrace you. Things always turn out all right in the end, you just have to figure out where and what the end is. Eventually, things will be okay. Maybe we'll all be dead before then, but eventually it will be right."

            "How can you be so sure?"

            "Because, the universe doesn't hate us. There's a big plan out there and we're just part of it. And I don't think that plan includes the world falling into fear and rule by the same evil Death Lord twice. Normally I'm right about these things, trust me."

            "I want to trust you, but after everything that's happened, you can't honestly think everything is for the best."

            "But doesn't that just prove my point? Good things don't come without some sacrifice. Your parents were the sacrifice to save the world once. Cedric and Sirius were just part of the next sacrifice. Things _will_ turn out okay in the end. Just believe and have faith. If you don't trust the rest of the world, _trust me_."

            Looking into her eyes there, he found he _did_ trust her. But he wasn't going to stop being angry. Right now, sitting next to her, he was at peace. But he knew that as soon as he got up and left her side, he was going to be angry again. Angry enough to hunt down the ones who put her here.

            But he wanted to postpone that anger until he had time for it. So he sat there talking quietly to her until visiting hours were over. "Do I have to leave, Madam Pomfrey?"

            Something about the desperate look in his eyes decided her opinion on the matter. "You can stay the night, Mr. Potter. Just this once. But you have to stay in the chair _next_ to the bed." She was indicating that he couldn't remain sitting on the bed itself. "I'll get you a pillow and blanket."

            "Thank you, Madam Pomfrey. Thank you."

            She bustled off to give them a moment to say goodnight and to get him a pillow and blanket.

            "Goodnight, Luna." He hugged her gently and gave her a kiss on the forehead. He sat back in the chair and held Luna's hand. Madam Pomfrey brought him a blanket and pillow.

            Harry fell asleep like that. Sitting on the chair with the blanket around him, his hand holding hers. Madam Pomfrey came and checked in during the night and covered him up again, the blanket having fallen partway down.

            Harry woke up, his hand cramped from holding Luna's all night. He opened his eyes and realized that he had slipped during the night and his head was resting on the edge of Luna's mattress. He sat up just as Madam Pomfrey came in with breakfast for the two of them.

            "Good morning, Mr. Potter. Good morning, Miss Lovegood."

            Luna had just woken. She smiled. "Hello, I think my arm is better now."

            "And the cat ears have shrunk until they were gone. You're free to go after you've eaten. The potion sometimes takes away appetite and we can't have that."

            Luna tucked in as avidly as ever and left an empty plate. Madam Pomfrey was pleased. "Young man, would you leave a moment while Miss Lovegood gets dressed?"

            Harry blushed and went to stand on the other side of the curtains. When Madam Pomfrey opened the curtains again, Luna was standing dressed in her Hogwarts robes.

            "Miss Lovegood, please report to the Headmaster's office. He'll need to know the details of what happened."

            "I don't know where his office is."

            Harry couldn't tell if she was telling the truth or not but volunteered, "I do. I'll show her the way."

            "Okay, Mr. Potter. Escort her there. Do you know the password?"

            "Yes."

            "Go on, then."

            Harry and Luna walked and made their way down to the Headmaster's office. He said the password and they entered.

            They walked up the stairs and knocked.

            "Come in!" They entered. "Good morning, Harry, Luna. Luna, I trust you're recovered?"

            "Yes, sir."

            "Sit, please. Would you mind telling me what happened?"

            "I was walking through the corridor on the 4th floor when I heard a shout behind me and I turned around and saw 2 students in black robes and Death Eater masks. They shouted curses at me and I managed to avoid them, but two more showed up on my other side. I managed to fend off most of the curses, I keep a certain number of magical shields on me at all times. I even delivered a couple of blows myself. Eventually they left when they realized the weren't doing much damage and that I was fighting back. They were just leaving as a house-elf showed up. He was fierce! He started using his own magical against them. The funny thing was, this house-elf was wearing clothes."

            Harry asked, "Did his socks match?"

            "No, but the patterns were very interesting. And he had a tea-cozy on his head."

            Harry shouted, "Good old Dobby!" He grinned. "He's an old friend of mine. He's the one who came and told us you were in the hospital wing."

            When they left, Harry walked her back to the Ravenclaw house (or close enough). He went down to the kitchens to find Dobby and when he found him he hugged him and promised to buy him an armful of new socks the next time he was in Hogsmeade.

            Back in the Gryffindor common room he found Ron and Hermione playing chess.

            "Harry," said Ron. "You never came back to the dorm last night. Where were you?"

            "Madam Pomfrey let me stay the night. Can you guys help me?"

            "Sure, what is it?"

            "I want to call an emergency D.A. meeting. I need to track down whoever hurt Luna."

            "Are you sure? I mean I know you're angry but . . ."

            "Of course I'm angry! Some bloody Slytherins attacked my girlfriend! Now, I'm going to hunt them down and hurt them with or without your help. Are you coming?"

            A look passed between Ron and Hermione. "We're coming." They divided up the list of which D.A. members each would find and separated.


	54. The Hunt

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Hope you enjoy this chapter. It's rather violent and depressing actually now that I look at it, but you knew it was coming. You knew. 

Enjoy if you can, as always, review appreciated.

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            Harry paced up and down the room of requirement, waiting for the last few people to get here. Finally everyone but Luna was there. He didn't want Luna to be there, she tended to be more levelheaded and might discourage the revenge he wanted.

            "Okay, who knows why you're here? Why I called you out from whatever you were in the middle of?"

            There was a general murmur and Harry didn't know whether it was a yes or no.

            "There was an attack," he said loudly. "Students in Death Eater masks, no doubt students who will someday bear the Dark Mark on their forearm, attacked one of our number. There were four of them. I've brought someone here who can give us at least _some_ description of what they looked like."

            Dobby came out from behind Harry's legs. "Hello, misses and sirs. Two of them were about as tall as the top of Harry Potter's ears, but they had very big arms. Another was as tall as Harry Potter's nose but very skinny. I think it was a girl, she shrieked when I chased her away. The other one was as tall as Harry Potter but I couldn't tell anything else, sirs and misses."

            "Thank you, Dobby."

            "Your welcome, Harry Potter sir!" He hugged Harry's knees. "Can Dobby be going back to the kitchens now, Harry Potter sir?"

            "Sure, Dobby. Thanks for your help."

            Dobby disappeared.

            Harry turned back to the fellow members of the D.A. "I want them hunted down, captured, and brought back to me. I think they need to suffer. Anybody inclined to disagree?"

            No one protested.

            "Who was attacked?" asked someone.

            "Luna Lovegood. But it could have been any of us. Any of you. Or even random innocent students. We need to stop this. We have a list of known Death Eaters or children of Death Eaters. It's posted on the wall there where it is every week. Find out who best fits the descriptions Dobby gave us and is on the list. I'm thinking Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson, and Malfoy. Anybody who doesn't want to hunt them down doesn't have to, but just remember next time it could be you, or your brother, or your sister, or your girlfriend, or your boyfriend, or your best friend. Anybody who wants to fight and do what's _right_, then let's go. We're splitting up and going to find them."

            Harry broke everyone up into search parties and sent them off to different parts of the castle. He had a feeling the culprits were Malfoy, Goyle, Crabbe, and Parkinson. They would pay dearly. Especially Malfoy.

            Muriel was sent to search out her common and if they were there to draw them out.

            Harry searched the library and the hunter was caught by Luna.

            "Harry, what's this all about?" she led him to a table and made him sit down.

            "What's what about?"

            "All the members of the D.A. rushing around school. Obviously something is up. What is it?"

            "Nothing," he lied. He couldn't tell her.

            "Harry," she said softly, "you're lying."

            "So?" he squirmed. He really didn't like lying to her.

            She put her head on his shoulder. "Tell me, Harry. Tell me what you're trying to do. I can help." Her voice was still soft.

            Harry knew he couldn't hold out much longer sitting here. If he wanted to prevent himself from spilling the beans about the hunt he organized then he was going to have to leave quickly. "I've got to go, Luna." He didn't get up.

            "Why?" she locked eyes with him.

            "I've got to go look for someone."

            "Who?"

            "I . . . I'm not sure. But I can't stay here!" He stood up and she looked up taking her head off his shoulder just in time.

            "Harry," she took his hand. "Please tell me. I'm just trying to help you."

            "No one can help me now, Luna. I'm sorry."

            "Don't do something stupid, Harry. Please?" She looked up at him with unshed tears in her eyes.

            "I'm sorry, Luna." He left. He'd brought his cloak with him to the D.A. meeting in case he needed a quick getaway from somewhere during the hunt. He put it on when he was just outside the library and stood silently invisible when Luna passed by to look for him.

            Harry was walking down the hall, going the opposite way from where Luna had disappeared.

            After two hours of searching Harry went back to the Room of Requirement to see if anyone else had had any luck.

            Muriel was there and he asked her if she'd been able to find Malfoy. "Nobody I talked to had seen him all day."

            "Maybe they were hiding him. Were you acting suspicious when you asked?"

            "No. I told them that Professor Snape was looking for them." She glared at him with cold eyes. "No one outside of this . . . organization, knows that I associate with you."

            "Good. Let's keep it that way. It'll keep you safer. I'm going back out to see what I can find. Maybe he's in the dungeons with Snape." Harry worked his way down to the dungeons. If Draco knew there was danger in the air, he'd go crawling to Snape.

            "Potter, word is, you're looking for me."

            Harry turned and saw Draco leaning against the doorframe. Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy stepped out of the shadows.

            "Yeah. I've got a score to settle with you."

            "What's the matter? You aren't strong enough to protect your idiot girlfriend?"

            "Malfoy, I am going to hurt you so bad, you're going to wish you'd never been born." Harry took out his wand.

            Goyle and Crabbe were advancing and backing him into a corner. Draco just smiled, walking between them. Harry noticed Pansy was limping.

            Draco shook his head, gave a final smirk and said, "_Crucio_!"

            It didn't last long but the pain made it feel as though every inch of Harry's body were on fire.

            "ARGH!" Harry was on the ground panting. "Pe—" he gasped. "_Petrificus totalus_!" He pointed his wand at the blonde and only just barely hit him. He could barely see, his glasses had fallen askew.

            Crabbe didn't know the counter-curse to aid Draco, so he did the only thing he knew how to do, he punched Harry in the stomach.

            Goyle kicked Harry in the back.

            Harry gave Goyle a jelly-legs jinx that he'd been aiming at Crabbe. The curse he'd meant to throw at Goyle missed completely.

            Pansy shrieked shrilly, "They're coming!"

            Harry was breathing hard when a pack of students came charging down the hall.

            Goyle and Crabbe had taken off, carrying a very stiff Draco and Pansy had followed behind.

            Harry got to his feet very painfully and leaning on the wall, he barely took time to straighten his glasses as he ran after the four Slytherins. He shouted, "_Impediemente_!"

            Goyle was slowed down immediately and Crabbe crashed into him, causing them both to drop Malfoy. Pansy kept running.

            Harry started throwing every curse he could think of at Malfoy; beaver teeth, cat ears, jelly-legs, the furnunculus curse, pink hair, and the last (before he was pulled away kicking and screaming) painful boils in places not exposed to the public.

            Harry was breathing heavily and struggling against those holding him. "Let me at him!" he growled. Ron was gripping one arm and Neville the other. "They're getting away!"

            Ron was in command like a military leader almost, "You three!" he shouted at Seamus, Ernie, and Dean, "after them!"

            "With pleasure." They pursued the fleeing Slytherins.

            "Harry, you've got calm down!" Hermione said sternly, appearing in front of him.

            "I wasn't through with them yet!"

            "Actually, Potter, I believe you _were_ through with them," McGonagall said.

            Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, and Luna came and stood in front of him.

            "May I speak with him a moment?" asked Luna softly.

            Dumbledore nodded.

            Luna moved closer to Harry and put her hand on his shoulder. She started whispering. "Harry, calm down. Look at me."

            He wouldn't meet her eyes.

            "Harry, I said look at me. Now."

            He shut his eyes.

            She took her free hand and tilted his chin so he would have no choice but to look at her. "Open your eyes, Harry." He reluctantly opened them. "Everything is going to be okay. You'll see. Don't worry. Everything will be fine. Malfoy and those other rats will get what they deserve before the end. You'll see. Just relax. You're breathing awful hard, you don't want to put that much strain on yourself, just relax." Only Harry was able to hear and understand what her murmured words were. "Good. Just calm down. Everything is going to be fine. You know I'm only here to help you. You know that, right?" He nodded. "You know that Ron and Neville are only trying to help you. Don't you know that?" He didn't respond. "I think you do know that. I know your heart was in the right place. If Ron and Neville let go, do you promise not to go anywhere?" Still, only Harry knew what she was saying.

            "Alright. I promise."

            "Good." She let go of him and said in a dazed voice, "Weasley, Longbottom, let go off him, why don't you?"

            They knew Luna better than a lot of people, but not as well as Harry, and slowly released his arms. True to his word, he didn't go anywhere. He just ended up on his knees on the floor.

            "Mister Potter, I think it's best you went directly to your dormitory and not leave until I summon you. Your meal will be brought there. The rest of you had best be going immediately. Severus, please escort Harry, so he doesn't wander off; then meet me in my office. Minerva, get these students off to wherever they are supposed to be, then meet me in my office directly," Dumbledore said, his voice grave.

            Harry felt numb the entire, long walk, back to Gryffindor. Why was Snape escorting him instead of McGonagall? Why did he need an escort? How did everyone find him? Was Draco going to be punished? He'd used an unforgivable curse at Harry, the merited prison in Azkaban. But what was the point of that? The Dementors were gone, weren't they? Besides, wouldn't that just make everything worse if they sent him away? All these thoughts swirled through Harry's brain as he and Professor Snape silently mounted the many stairs that led to Gryffindor Tower.

            They reached the portrait of the Fat Lady and the greasy-haired teacher gave Harry and undecipherable look before departing (after making sure Harry had gone inside). Harry went up to his dormitory and sat on his bed, to wait.

            The Marauders' map was sitting there, for anyone to read. Someone had been through his things. Someone who knew how the map worked.****


	55. Consequences

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize. I only own the plot. It's mine and JKR can't have it!

Here's the next chapter. Anybody hoping Malfoy gets expelled?

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Chapter 55: Consequences

            Harry sat staring at the map. The hot rage had left him and he was cooling down to a dying fire. He stared at the map. McGonagall and Snape had been in Dumbledore's office for a long time.

            Malfoy was still in the Slytherin house.

            Harry could have cursed himself. Why hadn't he thought to use the map to track Malfoy in the first place? The answer came to Harry with a taunting, I-told-you-so voice, _It's because you were too angry, Harry. Luna warned you, didn't she? "Harry, don't do anything rash". Heck, hadn't even Ron and Hermione warned him. "Are you sure? I mean I know you're angry but . . ." Why don't you listen to these warnings? You're a git, that's what you are. A pompous git like your dad was. That's why your mum couldn't stand him. You're a pompous git like Malfoy._ "Leave me alone!" Harry said aloud, angry again. He hated these voices that crept into his head. It was always logic, or reason, or his conscience. Why wouldn't it all go away?

            Harry didn't notice a house-elf slip in and leave a piping hot meal and glass of cold juice for him until probably ten minutes after the elf had left. He started eating, wrapped brooding in his gloomy thoughts.

            Harry looked back down at the map and saw that Ron was entering the dormitory. "Ron," he asked, his voice like ice. "How were you able to find me?"

            Ron went and sat down on his bed. Harry could see that his ears had gone pink. "Well, we didn't know where you were, but we ran into Luna and she was afraid that you'd gone and done something stupid. Hermione and I came up here, well it was her idea but I came up here, and checked the map to see where you were. We saw that you and Malfoy and those other bloody gits were in the dungeons and we went down there."

            "And you just had to tell Dumbledore and Luna where I was?" he asked angrily, looking for something suitable to throw.

            "No. The map showed that Luna was already heading that way. I don't know who tipped off the professors but Dumbledore and the professors weren't too far behind either. Muriel was the one who told the other members of the D.A. She couldn't go down there herself since it would jeopardize her position spying for us, but she sent everyone down there in case you needed back up."

            "And Luna knew _how_?" he repeated.

            "I don't know, Harry. She just seems to know these things. Like how she was able to heal you by just talking and how she's the only one who seems to be able to calm you down when you're mad and how she's the only one you were able to talk to and finally work things through with after Sirius died. She's Luna, she's weird but somehow you and her just make sense together."

            "You had no right to go through my things. If you hadn't have found me, I could have kept going at Malfoy. I wasn't done with him yet."

            "Harry, even with Malfoy out of action, you could have gotten seriously hurt. You were outnumbered. You needed reinforcements."

            "I didn't need any help."

            "Yes you did. You never admit when you need help. You need it more often than you'll even admit to yourself."

            "I wonder what they've been up to," Harry asked.

            "Who?"

            "Come look at the map. Dumbledore is _still_ in his office with Snape and McGonagall."

            "They've been in there a while. Sorry I couldn't come sooner. I tried to leave dinner early but Flitwick caught me and wouldn't let me leave. Probably Dumbledore's orders."

            "I'm getting _so_ sick of 'Dumbledore's orders'."

            "You can't really blame him, Harry," Ron said, shrugging.

            "Why not? Why the bloody h—"

            There was a knock at the door. "Who is it?" asked Harry crossly, forgetting he could just look down at the map in his lap.

            "Professor McGonagall," came the brisk voice. "Professor Dumbledore wants you in his office now."

            "I'll be right there," he sighed.

            Ron was studying the map. "Hey, mate? Luna's there."

            "What?"

            "Luna. The map shows McGonagall outside our door, and Luna in Dumbledore's office."

            "NOW, Mr. Potter, or I shall come in there."

            "I'll see you later, Ron."

            "Best of luck."

            Professor McGonagall escorted Harry to the headmaster's office. She was silent. Halfway there, Harry asked, "Is he expelled?"

            "What?"

            "Malfoy. He used one of the 3 illegal curses against me. Is he expelled?"

            "I am not answering any questions yet, Harry."

            "Well, how about this one, then? Why is Luna in Dumbledore's office?"

            "How did you know that?" She stopped and narrowed her eyes at him.

            "Professor, we're good friends, aren't we? I already told you: _I know everything_."

            She seemed mystified.

            "Sooner or later I always find out. I've got sources." He grinned cheekily and started again in the direction of Dumbledore's office.

            He heard McGonagall muttering under her breath, "I should take away 10 points for cheekiness."

            They reached the headmaster's office without further words and went inside after knocking.

            "I've brought him." McGonagall gave Harry a glare and took a seat.

            There were 4 seats in front of Dumbledore's desk today, Harry couldn't remember ever seeing so many before. Big cushy purple chairs. Snape was seated on one at the end, trying to stay as far away from Luna as possible. Luna was on the chair on the other end. McGonagall made her scoot over one so that she could be on the opposite end and not have to sit next to Snape or Harry. Harry ended up between Luna and Snape.

            "Harry, would you mind tell me exactly what occurred?"

            Harry was blunt. "I knew who it was who attacked Luna, even without Dobby's description, and I _did_ get the description before we went after them. So me and a few friends decided to go and track down those we knew were responsible. I found them first. Malfoy used the Cruciatus Curse on me. I fought back against him, Crabbe, and Goyle. Parkinson was there but she ran off. The four of them had cornered me in the dungeons. Then my friends and all of you showed up."

            "You and Mister Malfoy both cursed each other. Who started it?"

            "That depends on how far back you want to go, Professor. When he attacked Luna? When his father burnt down her father's newsstand? Anytime when he and I haven't gotten along over the past 6 years?"

            "I mean today."

            "I'm not sure. There was some banter. He threw the first spell. The pain curse. Shouldn't he be expelled at least? It is illegal after all. That Ministry of ours that we love so dearly outlawed it," he said bitterly. The Ministry had way too many power-hungry idiots in it. He rubbed his temple, he had a headache. "Headmaster, why are the three of them here? Shouldn't this be just you and me talking?"

            "Harry, Professor Snape is the head of Mister Malfoy's house, Professor McGonagall is the head of your house. They were both present when we intercepted the fight."

            "What about Luna?"

            She said dreamily, staring at the ceiling, "I'm here because I won't go away."

            "Miss Lovegood is here because she appears to be the object, so to speak, of quarrel between you and Mister Malfoy."

            "You know our fights predate her even _coming_ to Hogwarts, sir."

            "Be that as it may, she _is_ remaining for the rest of the discussion, as are Professors Snape and McGonagall," Dumbledore said, finally sounding a little testy.

            "What could there possibly be left to discuss? I thought we covered everything."

            "There is the matter of your punishment and Mister Malfoy's punishment. As well as Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe's punishment. Miss Lovegood said that they are the cause of those bruises? You were fighting at school. Mister Malfoy will be doing double detention with Professor McGonagall. Misters Goyle and Crabbe will each be doing a detention as well. You will lose 50 points for Gryffindor."

            Harry was sorely tempted to tell him that it was certainly worth it, but he decided not to. It wouldn't be fair to his housemates if he lost more points. Harry realized the logic with Dumbledore's decision and silently gave him credit. Malfoy didn't give one whit about what happened to the rest of his house; so taking away points wouldn't have matter much. Malfoy only cared about what happened to himself, a detention with a teacher he hated would be the perfect thing for a punishment. A detention with Hagrid would be best, but Hagrid wasn't as good at telling Malfoy off and making life truly miserable for him, as McGonagall would be. Harry, on the other hand, rarely cared what happened to himself. But he was a team player and didn't want other people punished for his wrongdoings. Plus, most of the members of the D.A. were Gryffindors anyway, so it was kind of a group punishment.

            Snape smiled, satisfied that Potter had been justly punished. "Goodnight, Headmaster."

            "Goodnight, Severus. If you see Draco Malfoy or the other boys, tell them to be expecting letters from Professor McGonagall to arrange detention."

            Snape exited and McGonagall too, "Goodnight, Albus."

            "Goodnight, Minerva."

            Harry was let alone with Dumbledore and Luna.

            "Miss Lovegood, do you believe the boys' punishments were fair?"

            "Oh, yes. Fighting is bad. You notice it's never the girls' fault? They don't fight. Rowena and Helga got along wonderfully. Godric and Salazar fought like mad though. Like brothers, but enough to drive them apart. With him gone, this school was a three legged stool." She got up and walked away, dazed.

            "Amazingly perceptive, isn't she?" Dumbledore said humorously.

            "Yes. She is. Why was she _really_ here?"

            "Because, she understands and see things where others do not. She can see things clearly and so she succeeds where others _can_not. Surely you've noticed this yourself?"

            "Yes. I have. I can tell her things that I can't tell anyone. She's amazing. There's just something about her. She can do things. Heal just by talking even."

            "So I've heard."

            "What power does she possess, sir? There's got to be something. She knows things that people can't possibly know. What is her power that makes her different?"

            "The power of a pure and accepting heart. She has a sharp mind, but almost a child's willingness to accept everything. Faith so strong in the belief that things _will _be all right. Whether or not she was born with any special powers, I do not know, but most of her special qualities are her own design."

            "Most?"

            "I don't doubt that some of them are just the female charms that men will never understand."

            "So I'm doomed to misunderstand women?"

            "For the rest of your life, my boy."

            "Wonderful," he muttered. "And she's worse to understand than most."

            "Quite the contrary, I think you understand her better than most men understand the women who have their hearts."

            "Really?"

            "Yes, Harry. Goodnight."

            "Goodnight, Professor." Harry got up and started toward the door.

            "Harry, I'm sorry about those points, but you will earn them back at the next Quiditch match, won't you?"

            "Of course, Professor. Nobody is going to be beating Gryffindor."

            "I'm supposed to be impartial, but between you and I, I'm glad to hear it."

            "Goodbye, Professor."

            "Harry, please refrain from doing anymore fighting, won't you?"

            "I'll try. Why exactly didn't he get expelled?"

            "To prevent things from getting complicated. I'd rather have him where I can keep an eye on him."

            "Me too." Harry left and found Luna waiting at the bottom of the stairs to walk him back to Gryffindor Tower. Just before they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, she kissed him goodnight and went back to Ravenclaw.

            "Harry, what happened?" asked Ron. Neville, Dean, Seamus, the Creevy brothers, Lavender, Parvati, and Hermione were all standing nearby. In fact, quite a large crowd was gathered around.

            "Dumbledore dealt out the punishments," Harry said.

            "What happened?"

            "Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle all have detention with McGonagall."

            The Creevy brothers high-fived.

            "Malfoy has double-detention."

            "Great!" said Neville.

            "What about Pansy?" asked Lavender.

            Parvati added, "I hope she got punished too."

            "No, more's the pity. Couldn't prove she did anything," said Harry. He was still a bit mournful over the lost points.

            "So what exactly did you do to Malfoy?"

            Harry started listing the curses. "And I gave him very painful boils. I lost Gryffindor 50 points over all of it."

            "We didn't see any boils," said Dean.

            Harry grinned. "They weren't anywhere normally displayed to the public. But I'll put it this way. It'll be very painful for him to sit on a broom."

            The common room roared with laughter.

            "Then it was worth it!"

            "I would have sacrificed a hundred points to be able to do that to Malfoy."

            The room was full of laughter and insults to Slytherins.

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Sorry to disappoint you. Nobody gets expelled today. 


	56. Celebration

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything you recognize.

I just thought everybody would like to know when in the year the story is at right now. March 27, 1996.  Okay, here it is.

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Chapter 56: Celebration

            The D.A. meeting the next day wasn't so much a meeting, as a party. People had nicked things from the kitchens, or brought in candy that they had saved up. A couple of people brought in radios or fireworks (Weasley brand of course). They'd showed the Slytherins that they weren't going to back down. They'd proved that they had the guts to fight and that they would fight.

            It was a victory celebration.

            After five minutes, Harry gave up trying to have any sembelence of order.

            "Isn't this supposed to be an organized meeting?" asked Hermione, seeing him give up.

            "Let them celebrate. There's been little to celebrate the last couple of years. They could use the cheer. We all could," Harry replied softly.

            They were about a half an hour into the festivities when Marcus and the Creevy brother (who had taken the young Gryffindor under their wing) walked up to him. "Harry! Look what we've got!"

            They all had one of their sleeves rolled up. From each upper arm a red and gold Phoenix stared back at Harry.

            Harry went numb with shock. It was too much like Dark Mark on the arm of every Death Eater.

            Hermione spoke first. "Boys, where did you get those? Your mothers will have a _fit_ if you come home this summer with tattoos!"

            "They aren't real tattoos. Terry drew them for us. We decided that we needed something to show that we're all together."

            "And we thought a Phoenix would be perfect. They say Dumbledore has a Phoenix."

            "And that it showed up to help you rescue Ginny when me and her were in our first year," said Colin.

            "He does have a Phoenix," Harry said.

            "And the story about the Chamber of Secrets?"

            Harry's eyes were downcast. How could they sound so eager? He and Ron and Ginny had nearly died. Of course, they didn't know the whole story, did they? They didn't know the pain and the guilt Ron felt or Harry felt, only that there'd been a spectacular rescue. "It's true."

            "See? It's perfect. And they're only ink."

            "Yeah. Real nice." There was no emotion in Harry's voice. He looked up and saw others getting Phoenixes drawn on their arm.

            Hermione seemed to be thinking the same thing as Harry. "It's too much like the Dark Mark, isn't it?" she whispered.

            "Yeah," agreed Ron. "You want me to put a stop to it?" He took out his wand.

            Harry hesitated. The kids all looked like they were having fun. Didn't they deserve some fun? Harry gave himself a mental shake. Kids? Some of them were his age and a few were older. But he felt older. Much older. "Let them be. What can it hurt?"

            Soon everyone but Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, and Terry had gotten their Phoenixes. "What about the four of you? Interested?"

            Ron shrugged and looked at Harry. "Why not, mate?"

            Harry just shrugged too and Ron went over to get his "tattoo".

            Hermione went after Ron. While she was getting hers done and the party went on, Harry went to sit next to Luna.

            "Are you okay? You haven't said much."

            "I'm fine."

            "Are you sure? You don't look it."

            "I'm fine, Luna."

            "Just asking." She put her head down on his shoulder. "You really don't like the idea of everyone getting those Phoenix marks, do you?"

            "It's just so much like the Dark Mark. I mean, a Phoenix doesn't look like the Dark Mark, and these aren't permanent and they aren't going to summon or hurt anybody, but still."

            "What are you really afraid of, Harry?" she whispered.

            His voice was far away. "I don't want to be like him. He says we're alike. Half blood. Parseltongue. Even the dark hair. The sorting hat wanted to put me there, Luna. In his house."

            "But it didn't."

            "Only because I begged. Luna, don't let me turn into him."

            "Don't worry, I won't." She hugged him before getting up and getting a Phoenix drawn on her own arm.

            "Harry, do you want one? Everyone but you and me are done," Terry called.

            "Do yours. I'll go last," Harry said. Going to a table and picking up a bottle of Butterbeer. He took a swig.

            Terry had soon finished his own Phoenix and called Harry over again. Harry sat down on the little stool and Terry rolled up his sleeve. He had a little table set up with pots of ink and quills and brushes.

            "Where'd those come from?" asked Harry.

            "I don't know. I was here before thinking it'd be great to have something to work with and then I turned around and found all this here. Really great isn't it?"

            "Yeah."

            Terry talked while he worked. "You seem a bit down. I thought you'd be happy. Everybody else is celebrating."

            "Oh. I'm happy. Just a little distracted lately, that's all."

            "Whatever you say." He kept working.

            "Terry, do you think I was right to go after Malfoy?"

            "Yeah. That git deserved all he got and more. Why?"

            "Because I don't think Luna thinks I should have gone."

            "What makes you say that?"

            "I'm not really sure. I'm just getting that impression from her."

            "Any other girl would be flattered that you hunted down a pack of Slytherins on her behalf."

            "But Luna isn't any other girl."

            "You got that right. She's something else."

            "Yeah."

            "All done." He handed Harry a mirror so he could see better.

            "Hey, mine looks different from everyone else's."

            Terry blushed a bit. "Well, since you're the leader of Dumbledore's Army I thought it was appropriate."

            The Phoenix on Harry's arm was different in two ways. Firstly, it was wearing a crown that was clearly a crown of flames. Secondly, the eyes were a brilliant green.

            "Thank you."

            "You're welcome. It' s nothing really."

            The party went on for another couple of hours and as it ended, people went up to Hermione to have her charm the phoenixes on their arms to last longer, which made everything last another half an hour.

            Harry said goodnight to Luna as everyone was leaving.

            "Luna, I need you to explain it to me. Why aren't you happy about what I did to those Slytherins? I thought you'd be proud of me for standing up to them."

            "Harry, I asked you not to do anything stupid. I warned you that they were a waste of time."

            He was still confused. "But I did it for you."

            "There's enough pain, suffering, and misery in this world without adding to it. What possessed you to think I'd want more of it added on my behalf? I presumed that you of all people understood."

            "I do, but . . . No, I guess I don't. The way I saw it, the way I see it, Malfoy did wrong and so he deserved to be punished."

            She shook her head. "You said you don't want to end up like the man who gave you that scar. I tell you now, the only way to avoid it is love and forgiveness. You don't have to love Malfoy, you do have to forgive him. You didn't punish him for my sake. If you had wanted to do something for me, you would have let go of your anger like I asked. What you did, you did for you. You used him as a way to vent your angry feelings on. He may have deserved it, but that doesn't make it right." She kissed him on the cheek. "You'll understand one day, harry. Far in the future when all this is behind you, you _will_ begin to understand it."

            Harry held her hand. "You're pretty smart for 15. Don't ever change."

            "I won't," she promised.

            "Good. Goodnight, sweet moon."

            She smiled, "Goodnight, Harry."

            Luna stared into his eyes a moment, leaving him peaceful before they went their separate ways.

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Okay, yeah, I got a little philosophical at the end and some of you might disagree and say that Harry should go after Malfoy right now and pound him first chance he gets, but even though one little speech isn't going to convert Harry overnight, he is not going to go chase him at the moment. 


	57. Fight, Fight!

Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Fowl. *cries*

Sorry so long since the update. I've recently become addicted to Lily Evans/James Potter stories and I've been doing some reading. *guilty*  It's not my fault! I'm addicted to L/J now.  Blame Marie. She got me hooked.

Besides, you saw how the last chapter ended. I had no idea where I was going after that, so then I came up with the first part of this chapter and that was kind of slow going until I came up with the second part. You'll see. Thanks for your patience, please don't hate me too much.

On the with Chapter!

Oh, and I replied to everybody's review. It's at the end of the chapter.

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Chapter 57: Fight, Fight!

            Harry was visiting Hagrid. He felt bad because hadn't seen him much this year. He didn't take Ron or Hermione with him and couldn't quite decide why that was.

            They talked and did some basic catching up.

            "I hear yer datin' that Lovegood girl. Luanne, is it? No, tha's not right."

            "Close. Luna."

            "Righ' righ'! Luna, I remember now. Yeh getting' along okay?"

            "Yeah. She's great. I think we really understand each other."

            "Tha's good, 'Arry. Very important in a relationship, yeh know."

            "I know, Hagrid. How are all your classes going?"

            "Oh, good, good."

            "Any new pets?" Harry dreaded the answer.

            "No, no, not yet. I wanna get a crumple-horned snorkack."

            "Oh, really? What's that?" He'd heard Luna mention them but still wasn't exactly clear what they were. He had assumed they weren't real.

            "A magnificent beast, 'Arry." He started to describe it.

            "Wow. Sounds interesting."

            "Are yer classes okay? Nobody givin' yeh any trouble?"

            "No. Everything's pretty good this year. Even Snape isn't being any worse than usual."

            "If he was givin' yeh any trouble, I could go have a _talk_ with 'im." Something about the way Hagrid said "talk" implied that there wouldn't be much talking.

            "No, it won't be necessary." Harry stared dismally into his teacup for a while.

            "What's botherin' yeh, 'Arry? I know it's somethin'. Yeh can trust me, can't yeh?"

            After a few seconds, Harry looked up and met his eyes. "Hagrid, what do you know about Death Eaters?"

            "Death Eaters, 'Arry? Why do yeh wanna know 'bout them? Well, tha's a stupid question. Yeh wanna know abou' them cuz they're chasin' yeh. Always have been, haven't they? Ever since you learned who an' what you was, it's felt like you been bein' chased."

            "I guess you're right."

            "What do yeh wanna know 'bout them?"

            "Everything. For starters, what about the Dark Mark?"

            "So yeh know abou' tha'?" 

            "I do."

            "Well, after the final test of loyalty, the Mark is the initiation. I dunno much detail 'bout it. Snape was too talkative, even ter Dumbledore, and especially not ter the rest of us. The Mark is tattooed or burned on their arm somehow and it links them to You-Know-Who _forever_."

            Except for the first bit (which he had guessed already), Harry knew most of that. "So, if a group of students at school gave themselves a mark, not the Dark one, a sign for Dumbledore, what would you think about it?"

            "Dangerous ground, Harry. Prob'ly harmless enough though."

            Harry knew his instincts were right. He had a sinking feeling in his gut. "Why?"

            "Seems like crossing a line when you go and mark people as yers. Yeh understand?"

            "But I didn't do it. They did."

            "I know yeh wouldn't. But all the same, it seems like a line yeh shouldn' cross."

            Harry nodded. "That's what I thought. Look, Hagrid, I've got to go. I've got some thinking to do."

            "Alrigh', Harry. Yeh know I'm here if yeh wanna talk."

            "Thanks."

            Harry went outside. It was Saturday, nearly a week since the last D.A. meeting. He saw two groups approaching each other. As he grew closer he saw that one group was Colin, Dennis, and Marcus. Whenever he wasn't with his sister, Marcus was with the Creevy brothers, who'd taken him under their wing.

            The other group had four people and they were all Slytherins, though none that Harry personally knew. He got closer and realized they were trading insults.

            "You no good Gryffindors!"

            "Worthless Slytherins!"

            "Watch it, Mudblood! My daddy says that the Dark Lord is going destroy Dumbledore!"

            "Impossible, idiot! Dumbledore's ten times stronger! Besides, we've got him and Harry Potter on our side and they're the only ones who can beat You-Know-Who!" Colin, Dennis, and Marcus already had one sleeve each rolled up and now clearly showed the Phoenix to the Slytherins. They'd kept their marks in perfect condition.

            "Yeah, right! He's a hundred times stronger than them!"

            Harry observed that most of the Slytherins were on the young side, except for one 5th year.

            "I'll show you what power is! _Impediemente_!" He sent Marcus flying backwards.

            Harry couldn't take it anymore, he knew who this one was. He approached them. "McNair, that's _low_. Even for you. Honestly, beating up a first year. What's more pitiful than that?"

            He mocked, "St. Potter to the rescue." He flicked his wand at Dennis and Dennis got a bloody nose.

            "St. Potter?" he said in disgust. "You've been spending way too much time with that rat Malfoy. McNair, I'm warning you now. Get out of here." That's where he'd seen McNair. Lately he was tagging along with Malfoy, sometimes in place of Crabbe or Goyle. The worst part was that unlike Crabbe and Goyle his IQ was higher than that of a trees stump.

            Colin's voice was dangerous, "Stand aside, Harry. He's not getting away with this."

            "Colin, he's not worth it. Just back off."

            "No! He hurt my brother."

            Harry pulled Colin's arms behind his back as he tried to struggle and get at McNair and the others who were now teasing and taunting.

            One of the others whispered something to McNair. He grinned. "_Serpentsortia_!" he pointed his wand.

            A large and vicious snake appeared in front of Harry and Colin. Harry looked at it and recognized that it wasn't a poisonous snake. He decided he was going to have a little chat. After all, McNair probably didn't know it wasn't poisonous. He spoke to the snake in Parseltongue, still struggling to hold onto Colin. "_Would you do me a favor? Go chase after those other guys. The ones standing across from us. They just really insulted snakes. Especially that one in the front. He said all snakes are scum and that he crushes snake eggs. Bite him._"

            The snake had stood nearly still during this and its eyes flashed dangerously. "_He'll suffer!_" The snake turned and went after the Slytherins.

            "You should have let me at them!" said Colin when Harry finally deemed it safe to let go (the Slytherins were out of sight).

            "I told you, those gits weren't worth your time." He brought Marcus back over and stopped the bleeding from Dennis's nose. "Who started it?" he asked wearily.

            "I don't remember," Colin muttered. "We all just started screaming at each other. I bet they started it. Nasty Slytherins."

            "Don't go picking fights. It's not worth it. Not over them." He stared off where they'd gone.

            "Why not? You do it too. The jokes you play on them, the fights you get into with Malfoy."

            "I always have a good reason. And even then it's not always worth it." He remembered Luna's reaction to his hunting down Malfoy.

            "For me this was worth it."

            Harry knew he would not be dissuaded.

            "What did you say to that snake, Harry?" asked Dennis.

            "Just some stuff about McNair insulting snakes and that maybe it be a good idea if the snake went after him."

            Colin snorted. "And you tell me not fight!"

            "There's a difference. I knew that snake wasn't poisonous."

            Marcus said, "How come nobody told me you could talk to snakes?"

            "It's a long story. When people found out they all thought I was attacking somebody with the snakes." He sighed. "Why are you sleeves rolled up?"

            "Because those bloody gits think You-Know-Who is better than Dumbledore. We had to show them whose the right side is. These prove that we're with Dumbledore."

            Harry was on the verge of saying something when Dennis continued for his brother. "We're not the only ones. We see other people from the D.A. roll up their sleeves when they see a Slytherin coming."

            "How long has this been?"

            "All week. That business with Malfoy seems to have set everybody off," a dazed voice said from behind Harry.

            He jumped, startled. "Luna?"

            "Yes. Fights like this," she waved vaguely, "have been breaking out all week when there's no teachers around."

            "Really?" He'd been so preoccupied this week that he hadn't noticed.

            "Yes. I saw those Slytherins screaming. One of them got bit. I think they were going to the hospital wing. I vanished the snake to get rid of the evidence."

            "Thanks, Luna," Harry said gratefully.

            She stared at him. "I told you not fight."

            "I didn't. I was stopping a fight. I didn't even conjure that snake. McNair did. I just sent it away from these innocent Gryffindors."

            "I'll see you in the library," she said, wandering away.

            Harry turned back to the younger students. "Look, just attempt not to get in anymore fights between now and the meeting tomorrow, okay?"

            "We'll try."

            Harry sighed. That was all he could hope for, wasn't it?

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If you're wondering why I'm making such a big deal about the Marks. See I was studying the Apocalypse in my religion class and it talked about one of the signs of the Antichrist was that he would mark all his followers. Which made me think about Voldemort Marking his followers. I'm not trying to draw religious symbolism between HP and the Bible but I just saw it and couldn't help writing this. It kind of just gave me a foreboding feeling and I had to write this.

**_Replies to Reviews:_**

**Branson1—**Thanks, I'm going to finish this story. I may or may not do I sequel. 

**Hrei-siesn—**Thanks, sorry it's been so long since the update.

**jbfritz—**Thanks for your review, as always.

**dnd4ever—**Thanks, J

**ILOVETOWRITE456—**Thanks, I'm working on it, don't know how much more there is to write.

**Spiffycool—**Thanks, I love the good ship H/L. Almost as good as Ron/Hermione. Awesome penname. Spiffy is my word! I use it all the time. hehe

**Katie Lupin Black—**Thanks, hope it was plausible that I used the phoenix marks again in this one.

**Oxi-Nu—**Thanks for that energetic review. Hehe. J

**Alexis-Lee—**Yeah, I do. I'm hooked on Disney. I was watching Mulan the other day actually. hehe

**femalefredngeorge—**

Well as far as draco staying in school yes that was the right thing to do. that was very good. but what is up with all that new age stuff? are you a new ager?you sound like it. any way dont forget harry has to get fred n george back. maybe you could do something like make ron or ginny yeah ginny ask them what they would do to get back at someone who really paid a dirty trick on her. tell them that ron isnt a big help and it has to be a duzzy. even make them give her some of their stuff so harry can use it aginst them. please! i'd write but i dont know if any one would read my stuff. update update update

**prong-666—**Hehe. That same thing happened to me reading this really long L/J fic the other day. I was like wow, how long have I been reading.

Thanks for the reviews everybody!


	58. The Joke’s Over

Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own Harry Potter. You know that.

Not much to say in this Author's Note. This chapter is a little more serious than the last one. Hope you like it. If you love me and want me to be inspired to keep writing, review please? 

**dnd4ever**—thanks.

**Wytil**—Was this a quick enough update? I've been working on this pretty steadily, It's my other story that's being neglected. I know where I'm going with that one, just not how to get there.

**jbfritz**—Thanks, and thanks for understanding.

**Me222**—Okay, okay, now posted. :-)

**Tei'La**—Thanks. Yeah, I hadn't been planning on doing that Parseltongue thing, it just showed up out of nowhere. There might be another one if it fits in with the story.

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CHAPTER 58: The Joke's Over

            "Well, now that you're all here, I've got something I'd like to say." Harry's voice was serious and his face was grim. The other kids knew this was not a good sign.

            Lavender whispered, "This can't be good."

            Parvati whispered back, "Do you think he knows that we were the ones who made Pansy go bald?"

            "He can't know! We covered our tracks," she whispered back.

            "I think I was speaking," said Harry loudly. He looked grimmer than before.

            The whispers that had permeated the room went silent as the grave.

            "I have heard and witnessed some…unpleasant encounters this week between the members of this organization and the Slytherins. More so than usual. Anybody care offer an explanation?" He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, waiting.

            Neville confessed, "I used the tripping jinx on Malfoy on Monday. But you can't say he didn't deserve it!"

            Everyone else began confessing what they'd done to various Slytherins. Even Hermione admitted that she had levitated Millicent Bulstrode's soup at lunch on Thursday so that it splattered all over her.

            "I never saw that."

            She blushed. "I waited until you'd left."

            After everyone else had said what they'd done, Harry looked at Lavender and Parvati. "You two seem awfully quiet."

            "We were the ones that cut off all of Pansy's hair," Parvati said finally.

            After everyone had had a good laugh at the unfortunate week the Slytherins had had, Harry called them to quiet again, his face and voice now both equally grim. "Why did everyone do this?"

            "I don't know about anybody else, but I felt more confident knowing that we were a group and somebody would back me up," someone said.

            "Yeah," agreed several others.

            Harry was puzzled. "But we've been a group all year. Most of us since last year."

            "Yeah, but now we have something that proves it!" They rolled up their sleeves and Harry saw the Phoenixes, still in perfect condition. They glittered on every arm. Nobody had just washed their's off, they'd gone to great lengths to keep them perfect.

            Harry didn't admit it, but he didn't even let his smudge. It was still in mint condition as well. But this was what he'd been worried of, what Hagrid had warned him of. He asked quietly, "Why are these pen markings on your arm so important to you?"

            "Now everybody else can know what we know."

            "The Dumbledore's stronger."

            "And that united with him, we're all stronger than we would be separately."

            "There's safety in numbers and it proves we have numbers."

            Responses like this continued for a few minutes, but soon dissolved into silence.

            "Why is it worrying you, Harry?" asked Terry.

            He sighed. "How much do any of you know about Death Eaters?"

            "They work for You-Know-Who!"

            "When they join him they get some sort of tattoo on their arm of the Dark Mark. When he wants them he finds one and presses the Dark Mark on his or her arm. The Mark on everyone else's arm _burns_ and they have to Apperate to him immediately. No delays. They're forced to be connected to him for a lifetime," Harry said.

            "But this is different," Susan protested. "There's nothing like that on here. It is just _ink_."

            "How different is it? Don't you feel like you've been branded? Like you're cows or something? Like you're just mindless sheep like those forsaken Death Eaters? They're little lapdogs for crying out loud, doing their master's bidding."

            "This is different, Harry. We're choosing this," said Seamus.

            "So did they," Harry said quietly. "They had a choice to make and they made it."

            "And so do we," Ernie said. "This is _our_ choice."

            "Do all of you feel that way?" He looked around.

            Slowly, everyone nodded.

            Hermione noticed how tired and haggard her friend look. His eyes were haunted.

            His voice was quiet. "If that's your decision, fine. But I don't want to see any more of these petty fights with the Slytherins, understand? It's giving us a bad name and a bad reputation. We're the good guys. We don't going picking on people, especially anyone weaker than us. It's one thing if they start something. Then you can finish it, but don't provoke them and don't punish them anymore than necessary. Understand?"

            They didn't respond.

            "This is for your own health! I asked if you understood! Do you?"

            "We understand, Harry," Zacharias said, his voice somewhat cold.

            "Good. Then get out your wands. We're going to be reviewing defensive spells for the next hour and a half."

            They did. By the time Harry was through with them, most were sweating and cursing.

            Ron muttered, "Blimey! This is worse than Quiditch practice with Angelina!"

            "Keep your wrist tighter, Smith. Weasley, stop muttering and start concentrating. Brown, don't grip your wand so tight. Everyone, you can glare at me all you want, I know you are, but these spells _will_ save your life."

            When they were finally through (and thoroughly exhausted) Harry made one more announcement. "I've been thinking that we could stand to do some recruiting. Everybody think about it this week and next week, if you can, bring a list of names of people you think would make good additions to our organization. Don't forget what I said about the Slytherins." Harry was the first one to leave, but Hermione easily caught up with him.

            "Harry, can we talk?"

            "I'm hungry. I'm going to the kitchens," he said shortly.

            "Then I'll come too."

            Harry's legs were longer and it took all of Hermione's breath to keep up with him. So she didn't get to say anything until they'd reached the kitchens and told the house-elves what they wanted. They sat down.

            "Harry, you aren't yourself."

            "Me?" He laughed hoarsely. "Me? Look at the rest of those nutters. Even _you_! Honestly, can you remember the last time before this that you _ever_ pranked a Slytherin on your own?"

            "No," she said in a small voice.

            "They feel powerful because now they know and they feel like they finally have proof that they're allied with somebody powerful. Just like the Death Eaters. A lot of them went to Voldemort because _he_ had the power. The Mark identified them with him. A bond that would last through life. Because of all this, they felt like they were invincible. That's what's happening with the members of the D.A. right now. The Phoenix and Dumbledore. Merlin, those idiots are starting to believe they're invincible!" He buried his face in his hands.

            "What can we do to show them they're not?" she asked.

            "I don't know. I just don't know. I was hoping that by making them work so hard today, they'd understand that this isn't all fun and games."

            "I've got it. You can attack them."

            "Attack them?"

            "This week. One by one you attack them. Show them how easy it is for them to be caught off guard."

            "You're a bloody genius, Hermione!" He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

            "Well, that's my role in this after all, right? You two fight and I'm the brains."

            Harry laughed. Not exactly because she was being funny, but just because he needed to laugh, otherwise he might start crying. 

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            Harry did that. He saw Colin walking alone along the hallway later that night. He shouted the tripping curse; then another curse, one that prevented Colin from getting up. Harry stood over him, with his wand pointed at him.

            "H-H-Harry? What are you doing?" Colin asked.

            Harry performed the counter-jinxes. "Teaching you that you're not safe. You need to be on your guard. You know the spells that would have stopped you from ending up defenseless on the floor like that. But you weren't even aware that anyone was behind. Be aware. Don't tell anyone I was here. It's quiz time and _everyone_ is getting tested." He stuck out a hand to help Colin up. "We don't attack behind people's backs like this, Colin." He shook his head. "Not our side, but their side will. You've got to be ready."

            Colin nodded. Harry stalked off to find his next victim. Ginny was hit with the leg-locker curse first, then she managed to get in a flying bat-bogey hex, but then he used _Expelliarmus_ to relieve her of her wand.

            He waved his own to cancel out the bat-bogeys.

            "Trying to teach me a lesson?" she asked.

            "Yes," he said grimly. He gave her almost the same speech he'd given Colin and the same warnings. He canceled out the curses on her and helped her up.

            Over the next week, Harry managed to catch every member of the D.A. off guard, including Ron and Hermione. The only who'd managed to avoid being caught was Luna.

            He was extra quiet walking up behind him, but just as he opened his mouth to utter a spell, she turned around and calmly said another to relieve him of his wand. Then she used _Impediemente_. He was thrown backward, but yelled, "_Accio_!" with such force and conviction that even without his wand, his magic was strong enough to pull it back to him.

            They had a proper duel then (without actually starting over or anything) flinging and dodging curses, hexes, spells, and jinxes. There were several that Harry didn't recognize, but by fancy maneuvering he managed to get by.

            Quite a few people had gathered around them in the corridor, urging one or the other of them on.

            A few people muttered, "What's going on?"

            "Yeah, I thought they were dating. What happened?"

            "Well, maybe she caught him kissing another girl and she went nutso."

            Others asked, "Who started it?"

            "I don't know, we just came and found them like this."

            And yet others were saying, "Shouldn't we tell someone about this?"

            "Nah, I want to see what happens!"

            Harry and Luna were about neck-in-neck. For every curse he threw, she blocked it. For every jinx she threw, he blocked it and threw another back at her.

            They were both breathing hard when Professor McGonagall showed up. "What is the meaning of this?" she asked.

            Harry and Luna were too busy fighting to respond.

            A 3rd year next to her said, "Well, they're dueling. They're both really, really good, aren't they?" Admiration was evident on her beaming face.

            "Mr. Potter! Miss Lovegood! Cease and desist!"

            They were way too into things to stop now.

            Harry's jelly-legs curse almost hit her and her stunning charm was just as near to catching him.

            "This has gone far enough! _Accio_ wands!" Professor McGonagall pointed at the students and slowly, the wands soared out of their tight grips.

            Harry was breathing heavily, looking at Luna. "Nice match," he panted.

            "Not so bad yourself," she replied. She blinked once, and she had resumed her usual dazed expression. She stared off into space. She wandered off slowly, apparently unaware of the crowd parting for her.

            "What is the meaning of this?" McGonagall asked Harry, her mouth set in a tight line.

            "We were just practicing. Just a friendly little match. Nothing wrong with that, is there, Professor?"  
            "Well…" she started.

            Dumbledore appeared at just that moment, "Hello, Mr. Potter. A splendid day, don't you think?" He was beaming.

            "Er, yeah, I guess."

            "I was wondering if you might like to come up to my office for some tea?"

            "Er, sure. Thank you, Professor." He meant it; Dumbledore was saving him from whatever punishment McGonagall was planning.

            Dumbledore led Harry to his office. Once they were away from the crowd, Dumbledore said, "I caught Miss Lovegood a moment ago. She will be joining us and may already be in my office. The house-elves have brought up tea and scones."

            They went inside, Luna was already waiting.

            "Harry, I have it on good authority that you've been attacking students all week."

            "Just trying to prepare them, sir. They're treating everything as a joke."

            "Everything. Voldemort. They suddenly feel a lot more powerful and aren't recognizing the risks. I was just giving them a wake up call, sir."

            "Except in the case of, Ms. Lovegood?"

            Luna was in the chair next to Harry, staring off into nowhere as she at and drank.

            "Yes. Well, you see, she detected my presence and so rather than me being able to quickly disable her as I had done with all the others. How did you know I was there anyway?" he turned to her.

            "I just knew. I couldn't here you, but I knew you were there."

            "Great," he muttered.

            A slow smile spread across her face. "I _always_ know. That's how I found you when you went after Malfoy. And when you were with Colin and Dennis and Marcus."

            Dumbledore smiled at Harry and whispered, "I told you she was special." 

            "Yeah. Professor, things are getting a little weird with the D.A." He explained the situation from the previous meeting.

            "I believe you are taking all the right steps, Harry. I wish you the best of luck."

            "Thanks."

            "I'll always be here if you need me. Goodbye, Harry."

            Harry pulled Luna out of her chair. "Dumbledore said to leave," he muttered as she didn't move.

            "Actually, I would like to speak to Ms. Lovegood for a few moments."

            Harry exited.

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Wow is Harry moody or what? Wonder if he's PMSing…nope not a girl. Yet. Hmmmmm…I could add a random body switching spell. Don't think I'll do that though. Maybe in another story. Sorry, really random today.


	59. A Lullaby

**Disclaimer**—you know I don't own this.

**Author's Note: **Sorry about the time between the last update and this one. I'm not going to say too much at the moment because I don't want to ruin anything, but I had a tough choice to make. Keep a lot of characters semi-anonymous (at least for now) or come up with a lot of random OCs. I think I made the right choice. Enjoy the chapter. 

**Hufflepuff1324**—Thanks

**Katie Lupin Black**—Thanks, sorry I haven't updated this week, I explained the dilemma. :-)

**Hrei-siesn**—Really? I've never seen the wave but actually I had thought of doing something with armbands (like red and gold armbands for supporters who aren't in the D.A. but support it, and silver and green for the ones who aren't Death Eaters but support them). Weird! I might do it, I dunno, now it's really creeping me out! Thanks for the review.

**Sillypaulie**—Thanks, glad you like it.

**Pakerin Pyros**—Can't tell if they'll learn it yet or not, maybe someday they will. I just hope it won't be too late. Or maybe they'll come back to the meeting having learned? Who can tell? Oh, right. I can. Hehe.

**Jbfritz**—Thanks!

**Oxi-Nu**—Nope, not ending the horror yet! Thanks.

**Laura**—hehe, thanks for the review.

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CHAPTER 59: A LULLABY

            Harry said, "I tested everyone of you. None of you passed."

            "What about Luna?" asked Parvati. "My sister told me that she saw you and Luna dueling in the hallway."

            "She passed, but she's not here. So I repeat _none of you_ passed."

            She looked down sulkily.

            "Do all of you understand it now? I didn't do anything damaging to you and I reversed all the spells I did use. This isn't a game. Anybody else would have been less merciful than I was. They would have made sure you were out numbered and would have used harmful spells. They wouldn't have helped you back to your feet afterward. _If _there was an afterward. Look at the lists you brought. If there's anybody there that you'd rather keep out of this whole mess, you can scratch their name out now. But remember, there might not be a time when they can't keep out of this mess. The other side will be determined to catch other people in the crossfire whether they pick a side or not."

            He saw everyone staring down at his or her list. A few people crossed out names, but it looked like they then rewrote them.

            "Everybody's going to take a turn and stand up. They'll read their list and we'll vote who's in and who's out. 10 votes against someone and they don't make it. I'll make up the final list." His gazed passed over each of them. "You first, Hermione."

            She stood up nervously. "I've got the names of some of the younger students I tutor. The 2nd and 3rd years." She read out a list of five names and one by one everyone voted. 2 of her candidates passed the vote. During the week they would have to pass an interview by Harry.

            "You next, Ron."

            Ron had 4 Quiditch players—the beaters for Ravenclaw, one of the Hufflepuff chasers, and a Gryffindor chaser. One of the Ravenclaw beaters passed the vote.

            Ginny was next and had 6 of the 5th years that she felt had a certain spunky quality to them. 3 passed.

            Neville's choices were a couple of 7 years who he knew and were taking the N.E.W.T. Herbology class, as well as a first year he'd befriended.

            The last of the lists was Luna's, which Harry read. He didn't recognize anyone on the list. Most of the people didn't recognize them. Those who did recognize some of them knew them to be rather odd and stand out-ish (though none of them stood out as much as Luna). 2 passed voting, though Harry considered viewing another 2 for good measure.

            It went on like this for a good two hours. From 84 people on the lists (some were repeated so it was really only 52) they went down to 27 after the voting. It was narrowed down to 20 after a second round of voting. The twenty remaining would be interviewed separately by Ron, Hermione, and Neville each in a way that hopefully would not be too obvious. Then Harry would meet with each one privately, decide how much he could trust them, then launch into a full explanation. 

            All the discussions and voting took more than two hours, but still at the end of it, Harry had them test their dueling skills and he reiterated his warning that they were not to pick fights. If he heard about any of them picking fights, he would personally investigate the matter quite carefully.

            When everyone was leaving Harry heard Zacherias mutter, "Potter's turning into a bloody tyrant."

            Harry bit his lip and counted silently to 10, waiting until everyone was out of the room before he screamed. Then he took some steadying breaths, it did no good. "That's exactly what I wanted to avoid! I'm trying, I'm really trying!" he shouted to the empty room. He squeezed his eyes shut, imagining the room to look different, to be what he needed. He opened his eyes and found just what he wanted and ran toward it. He threw himself on the bed and crying and beating his fist against the pillows and crying as though he were five years old and not sixteen, as though he were an innocent child crying over something frivolous instead someone who had been through more pain and misery than he or almost anyone else deserved. "It's not fair. I'm trying to protect them. It's a tough world and they'll get hurt." He continued to lie there, muttering about the unfairness of it all.

            He didn't hear the door open. He didn't hear anyone walk in. He didn't hear an almost silent voice whispering, "Shush."

            He wasn't even aware of anyone else in the room until someone came and sat down next to him on the bed and started stroking his forehead and hair, whispering to him. The voice was humming a lullaby, but soon added words.

_Tears fall down your face_

_It's okay to cry_

_But know that I'm nearby_

_To wipe your tears_

_And hold your fears_

_I'll keep them all at bay._

_Then one day,_

_When you're ready,_

_You'll grow up._

_But not today._

_Today you can cry._

_Hush, shush,_

_Today you can cry._

_I'll be here when you need me_

_Even if you think you don't._

_Don't you ever leave me,_

_ I know you need me,_

_If you ask me to leave, I won't._

_So stay right there_

_And I'll be here_

_To dry your eyes_

_And put away your fear._

            Harry slowly stopped crying, but didn't sit up, and the singer didn't move from where she was. The singer started a second verse.

_Tell me what's wrong_

_Confide in me_

_This is our song_

_Tears stain your face_

_Your eyes will never be the same_

_You play a brutal game_

_And you lose._

_You're not ready_

_Not yet ready_

_And you don't have a choice_

_This was decided for you, _

_Who took your voice?_

_Tell me what's wrong_

_Confide in me_

_This is our song_

_It tears my heart_

_To see you weep._

            "What's wrong, Harry?" she whispered.

            "I can't do this anymore." He didn't move. He didn't have the energy.

            "Can't do what?" she murmured.

            "I can't go on like this. I'm trying to teach them and they're missing the point. They don't understand what it's going to come down to in the end. I wish I were them. I wish I didn't know. What's that line again? 'Ignorance is bliss'? I want to forget everything, Luna. I don't want to remember that there's a psycho out there who wants me dead. I don't want to remember that he'll hurt anyone I care about to get to me. I don't want to remember that if he's willing to pay or threaten enough he can get anyone to join him. After all, doesn't everyone have a price?" he asked bitterly. "What was the price he paid to Peter to betray my parents? Or was it fear? The others don't get it Luna. They don't understand what's going to happen. It's all a game to them. What I did to them this week did nothing to sober them. I'm afraid they're still as reckless as ever and there's _nothing_ I can do about it. Don't you understand? NOTHING."

            "There's always hope."

            "The only hope is a fool's hope."

            "Albus Dumbledore understands hope."

            "He's the biggest fool of the lot of us. I'm second."

            "No, Harry, you're not. Hope is all we have. Without hope, we have nothing. But with hope, we can have everything. You're not in this alone, Harry. You're not in this alone."

            "If I'm not alone, then who's with me? Anyone I care about and would able to help me…I wouldn't put them in harm's way. I just couldn't do it. Who is there for aid? No one."

            "There's us."

            Harry sat up. Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Ginny stood in a line, staring at him. "We're here for you."

            "No matter what."

            "And we will always be here for you."

            "We'll follow you to the end of this."

            "To the end of the Earth if need be."

            "No matter what. We're in this together."

            "We care about you and we won't let you go this alone." 

            "You can trust us."

            "You don't have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders."

            "Share the load."

            "We can't do everything, but we can help."

            "We can help."

            "We _will_ help."

            Harry smiled weakly. "I'm not letting you risk yourselves for me."

            "Too late, Harry. You're stuck with us."

            "Forever."

            Harry looked at them, "Forever? No, just 'til death claims me."

            Luna blinked once, her slow meaningful blink. "Not while we live, Harry. Not while we live."

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Sounds kind of ominous, don't you think?


	60. New Recruits

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter.

Sorry it's been so long since I updated. I know what's happening a couple chapters from now.  I had a severe case of writer's block. I'm not overly proud of this chapter, it's not my bester work, it's the result of trying to over come the dreaded block.

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**  
CHAPTER 60: New Recruits**

            Harry spent the week interviewing the final 20 candidates and had Hermione gather them before the next D.A. meeting. Everyone else was inside the Room of Requirement except Hermione and whoever the new candidates would be.

            "They're outside waiting. I've accept 11 of them and brought another member in, we haven't discussed him, but does anyone object to making Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington part of our group?" He's used the ghost's full name to add more dignity; Nick hated being made fun of.

            There were puzzled glances and murmurs of, "Who?"

            Harry tapped an impatient foot. "Nearly-Headless-Nick!"

            "Oh!"

            "Him!"

            "He's great."

            "Alright, then. Ron, tell them they can all come in."

            Ron got up and went to the door. He opened it and in they came.

            Hermione came first, followed by: a boy with the strong arms of a Quiditch Beater (7th year, Ravenclaw); the 2nd year girl from Hermione's list; two of the three 5th years from Ginny's list; three people from Luna's list; a girl from Terry's list; one of Neville's Herbology friends; Hannah's 3rd year cousin; and a girl Harry had chosen. The line ended with Nick.

            "These are the new recruits," he told the current D.A. members. "They've all signed, and won't be blabbing anything we say." He turned to face the "new recruits" most of which looked as though they felt very awkward. "Welcome. Take a seat." Harry had left the front row empty for them and they went to it quickly. "Discipline. This is not a joke. Too many people here treat this like that. We mean business. We're not here to plot against or ambush Slytherins. We're here because Dumbledore needs us. Does anybody remember what the letters D.A. stand for?"

            "Dumbledore's Army," said Ginny.

            "And Defense Association," added Hermione.

            "Right. We are here to learn how to defend ourselves _and_ to do what we can to help Dumbledore. That's why we're here. Most of you don't seem to get the message that I've been trying to impress upon you. Last week, in order to discourage the attacks you were causing the week before, I ambushed each of you. That didn't seem to help wise any of you up. This past week, the same joking around and fooling and torturing the Slytherins has continued. That can't be allowed. Would Dumbledore approve?" He gave each of them a hard stare and more than a few shifted guiltily. He knew what they'd been doing to the Slytherins. He looked at the new recruits. "Do you know the tripping jinx? Stunning spell? The Petrifying spell? The leg-locker curse? The Impediemente jinx? A basic shield?" There were a mix of yes and no. "Ron? Hermione? Neville? Would the three of you mind dividing this group up and working with them in the back? I've got a list of spells they need to learn." The list was really three times longer than what he had just listed, but it was all stuff the three of them knew how to do.

            "Sure, Harry," Neville said.

            Harry had noted Neville's rise in confidence over the last two years, and especially this year, but it wasn't like the others. Neville wasn't really getting arrogant (though it wasn't as if Malfoy didn't deserve everything Neville had done to him); it was mostly just his making up for self-confidence that he'd lacked in his earlier years. Harry looked at the remaining students. "The rest of us are going to be continuing our work on Occlumency."

            Zacharias asked, "When do we get to learn Legilimency?"

            "Do you think that you're responsible enough? Do you think I should trust you with the power to break into someone's mind and discover their greatest fears and deepest secrets?"

            Zacharias looked at him defiantly, but said nothing more.

            Muriel and Colin were of course still excellent at Occlumency. As for the others, the fact that they'd been out of practice for several weeks now and Harry's words hadn't done anything to ease their minds. Ernie was still just below par, and Terry was doing quite well. Lavender was about equal with Ernie. Zacharias was still doing miserably. 

            The boy couldn't get past his emotions. He had anger, and hatred, and embarrassment. "Smith, come down to McGonagall's room, 7 o'clock Wednesday night."

            "Why?"

            "Because you need more help than you're getting here. I'm not going to lie. You need help and I am going to make sure that you get it."

            Zacharias frowned at him.

            "Look, Zach, I just—"

            "My name is _Zacharias_."

            "Fine. Zacharias, you need to be able to stop these attacks. Voldemort," Smith flinched at the name, "Voldemort is a Legilimensist. If he came up to you and asked you something, he'd know if you were lying. If you managed not to respond at all, he could break into your mind as though all that was blocking it was a spider web, and get in and find out whatever he wanted to know. Depending on what you knew, you could put not only this organization, but this school, Dumbledore himself, and maybe the freedom of free wizards everywhere at risk." Harry was exaggerating a little, the chances were, Smith would know anything of that great of importance, but he had to get the point across. "You've heard stories from the Dark times, haven't you?"

            Smith nodded.

            "You don't want to be living in those times, do you?"

            Smith shook his head.

            "Then you'll come down to McGonagall's room at 7 on Wednesday."

            Smith nodded.

            "You look tired. Get out of here," Harry sighed. He didn't mean it to come out rude, and despite the wording, it didn't _sound_ rude either.

            Zacharias abruptly left.

            Harry called it quits on the Occlumency. They'd had enough and the Legilimensists were getting tired. "We're just going to finish up with some stunning spells and the reviving charms."

            Everyone except Hermione, Ron, Neville, and the new recruits, broke up into pairs alternating in stunning their partner, reviving them, then switching off.

            Harry walked around the pairs, commenting. "Good. Much better. Your reaction time is improving," the last comment was added when he had them add in the shield spells to block the attacks from coming. "Good work, everybody. Keep it up and please keep away from the Slytherins if at all possible this week."

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            Wednesday came and Harry went down to McGonagall's room early to meet Luna and tell her that Zacharias Smith would be joining them.

            "Harry," she said softly. She was turned away from him, facing the desk.

            "I'm here. What is it?" He put a hand on her shoulder. He noticed that none of the furniture was moved aside as it usually was when they came here on Wednesdays.

            "Do you love me?"

            "Wha—? Luna, do I love you?"

            "That's what I asked. Do you?"

            "Luna, that's…" Luna asked if he loved her. Where had that come from? Love, love was hard for him to understand. Growing up and before Hogwarts, he hadn't known any love since he was an infant. It'd been hard for him to get used to the idea that somebody was looking out for him, but he'd eventually realized that Dumbledore, and his friends, and Sirius all cared about him. But love? Did he even really know what love was? What it meant? Love was about as foreign to him as trust was, even more so.

            "I'm here," a voice came from the doorway.

            Harry wanted to angrily tell the voice to go away, but vaguely in the back of his mind it registered that this was Zacharias and it'd taken a strong bending of will for Zacharias to even bother coming tonight. "We'll finish this talk later, Luna," Harry whispered. He turned to face Zacharias.

            "Okay, Smith. Glad you could make it. What are you thinking about right now?" Harry asked.

            "What's it to you?"

            "Smith, if you don't clear your mind we'll never get through this and you'll be here all night. What are you thinking?"

            "Why's your girlfriend crying?"

            "What are you talking about? Luna's not—" Harry stopped midsentence, looking at Luna. She _was_ crying. Why was she crying? Luna almost _never_ cried. "Luna, are you okay?"

            "Just a moment." She turned back to the desk again and looked back after a moment, all signs of tears gone from her face. "Hello, Zacharias. Ready for your lesson?"

            He nodded. He knew something fishy was going on.

            Luna waved her hand and the furniture rearranged itself somewhat to allow them free space to practice in. She conjured a pile of cushions. "Lie down, Zacharias."

            Grudgingly, he lay down.

            "Don't think about anything. Just clear your mind. You don't have any feelings. Nothing to worry about. Nothing to think about. No Quiditch trophy to win. No scary blonde girls with bulging eyes threatening to terrorize you. No redheads with brothers threatening to beat you up. No O.W.L.s in a few months. Nothing. Just nothing. Empty."

            Harry watched Luna work with Zacharias and Zacharias improved some during the night, more improvement than Harry would have guessed. When Zacharias's lesson was over, Luna left immediately without giving Harry a chance to talk to her.

            "She wasn't acting like herself tonight."

            "You don't know the real her," Harry said. "But you're right. Something's wrong." He waited for an hour outside the Ravenclaw common room, hoping to see someone coming or going so that he could get a message to Luna or ask her to come out so they could talk.

            Finally, Terry came out. "Oh, hi, Harry. I didn't think anybody would still be out of their house this late. I was going for a walk."

            "Is Luna in there?"

            "Yeah, she came in a little over an hour ago. She's really not herself tonight. Something's upset her."

            "And I think I know what it was," Harry said glumly, sitting down against the wall.

            "What did you say to her?"

            "Nothing much. But she said something to me and I didn't say it back."

            Terry nodded knowingly. "Couldn't say the L word?"

            "Exactly. I do, you know. I really do. I think. I just couldn't say it. I was in shock. Now, I don't think she's speaking to me."

            "Do you want me to see if she'll come out?"

            "Would you?"

            "Sure." He patted him on the arm. "I'll be back."

            Harry waited nearly ten minutes. Terry came back alone. "Well?" Harry asked hopefully.

            Terry shook his head. "She was sitting by the window, staring outside. It's raining. She ignored me for a full 6 minutes. Then she answered in that voice that makes everybody think she's a dummy. After 3 minutes of arguing with her she flatly said that she wasn't coming."

            "But I've got to talk to her, Terry!"

            "Sorry, but she's not coming out and the other Ravens would kill me if I gave you the password."

            "Ravens?"

            "That's just what we call ourselves. We think it sounds better than Ravenclaws."

            "Oh. I'm going to sit here then until she comes out for breakfast tomorrow."

            "Don't be ridiculous."

            "I'm not. If I stay here, she doesn't have a choice but to talk to me when she comes."

            Terry shook his head. "Just like a Gryffindor to think with your heart and not with your head."

            "How do you mean?"

            Terry sat down next to him. "Look, is there any particular reason you're talking to me about this and not to one of your Gryffindor buddies?"

            "They wouldn't understand. Gryffindors are…impulsive sometimes. And stubborn. How long was it before Ron finally admitted to liking Hermione? Seamus and Dean, honestly, what do they know? Nothing. And Neville, well actually Neville gives decent advice."

            "Do you love her?"

            "The truth is, I'm not sure what love is."

            "Well, spend some time thinking on it and when you've decided, let her know. Let her know in a big way."

            "But how?"

            "Think about it. You Gryffindors are after all, notorious for thinking with your hearts." He gave him a friendly smile and clapped him on the back. "Goodnight. I'm going for a walk."

            "At this hour?"

            "I need inspiration for my next picture. I'm thinking maybe the giant squid if I can talk him into posing. He comes out to the surface of the lake at night sometimes."

            Harry didn't go to bed. Instead he went to the Astronomy tower and stared at the stars from the roof. He stayed there all night meditating. What was love? What was love?

            He watched the sun rise in the pink sky, many hours later. And a slow smile grew on his face. He knew the answer.

            The answer was Luna.

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Thanks. I hope you review and keep reading! The writer's block kicked in when Harry got there early to talk to Luna. All the stuff with Harry and Terry was an attempt to clean up the mess left by the Luna stuff.

I know that especially after this chapter, I'm not worthy, but please review.


	61. Big Heart

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter.

Sorry it's been so long since I updated. I had trouble thinking of something romantic for Luna and Harry. I've got it now. I think.

As a reminder, PLEASE keep all reviews PG. I deleted it, but somebody sent me a review with some extremely naughty words that I found highly offensive. This story is PG so I would like the reviews to remain the same.

**Replies:**

**Summer—**Thanks.

**Crunchyhead—**I know, I know, cruel to leave Luna upset but it had to be done.

**Panuru4u—**Harry knows some stuff about him because of the Legilimency but he doesn't really understand him as a person (Harry can be a little think sometimes).

**BabyBoy7—**The next chapter is up now. Thanks.

**Dnd4ever—**Thanks

**Hrei-siesn—**Yes, poor Luna. *sniffle*

**Katie Lupin Black—**I have that problem all the time. Thanks.

**Oxi-Nu—**Thanks, hehe.

**Jbfritz—**Thanks

**Phoenixdreams—**Thanks, I was worried the story was getting too romance-y (then again it might be after this chapter) but I've got some plans for other stuff in the story coming up.

**Angus Hardie—**Thanks. :-)

**Caepan—**Thanks. I had trouble with Ravenclaws so I really appreciate your saying that. The only Ravenclaws JKR lets us really know are Cho (who I find whiny) and Luna who's really spacey (but we love her anyway)

**AthenaKitty—**Yes he interviews likely candidates. No, some of the non-Gryffindors don't know Nearly-Headless-Nick's true name. The only Slytherin so far is Muriel. Yes, Harry wants Zach to grow up. Luna is far more than a bit upset.

**Creative Deficit (Laura)—**hehe. I had to find some way to summarize everything he was thinking and I thought "Luna" said it best. Harry might disagree…

**BlackBishop—**Thanks. Will Harry and Luna recover? Wait and see in this chapter. The last chapter took place on March 27th I believe.

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**CHAPTER 61: Big Heart**

            He'd spent all night on top of the astronomy tower, thinking. What was love? Love was…well, he didn't know. That thought was with him for the first hour and a half. An hour and a half's pondering led him to the belief that love was caring about somebody. But he knew it was more than that. He pondered hour after hour. Love was trusting someone completely. Love was knowing you'd be there for someone and knowing they'd before there for you. Love was having no secrets. Love was knowing that you needed them as much as they needed you. Love was caring about somebody more than you cared about yourself, and being sure that you'd do anything for them, because to you, they were more important than the world. That's what love was. 

            Love was what he felt for Luna Lovegood. Love was Luna Lovegood. Plain and simple. He loved Luna. The way she made him laugh. The way she made him cry. The way she got him to talk about things that he wouldn't talk to anyone about (Sirius, the Dursleys, everything!). The way she comforted him. The way she knew how to make everything better. She completed him. Love was one word, and that word was Luna.

            Her very essence was love. She was fiercely loyal. She believed nearly anything. She was trustworthy. She was a good person, and more full of sweetness and innocence than anyone he had ever met. And he loved her for all those reasons and more. He loved her for the way she didn't care about what other people thought of her. He loved her for her open mind. He loved her for the mask she wore to confuse people. He loved her for the games she played. He loved her for the sureness she had deep down in the roots of her soul, where she believed everything would be all right. He loved her for having hope when he had none. He loved her with all of his being.

            Now came the biggest problem: how was he going to tell her?

            Terry had told him to think with that big Gryffindor heart of his and show it in a big way. Well, he'd have to prove to Luna. In a big way. What would he do? Put a banner in the great hall declaring his undying love?

            His lips curved in a smile as he started to get an idea.

            He stayed up there until about fifteen minutes before classes started. Then, not caring about his disheveled appearance (he was still damp from the rain that night) and not bothering to try and snag some breakfast, he went to class. He used the excuse that he'd fallen asleep in the common room the night before doing homework and that he'd woken only just in time to get to class. The Gryffindor students, having not seen him on their way down to breakfast, knew this was a lie but said nothing. They looked at Harry and recognized the crazy glint in his eye. He was up to something. While the other students (most of them, anyway) wrote their notes, Harry scribbled down parts of his plan.

            Harry, missing breakfast and spending dinner in the library, didn't realize that Luna had avoided him all day.

            "Harry, what's come over you?" asked Hermione, gasping as she ran into the library and collapsed at the table where he was scribbling furiously again.

            "I'm busy."

            "With what?"

            "I've got to tell Luna how I feel."

            "Tell her how you feel? You've been dating for months now."

            "I'm going to tell her how I really feel."

            Hermione's eyes widened. "You're going to tell her that you l—"

            "Ssh! Yes. I am. She's mad at me and I'm trying to figure out the best way to tell her. I want it to be really romantic. And I want the whole school to know it."

            "Wow." She wished Ron would do something like that. But Ron was too daft. She thought he tried to say, "I love you" once before, but he ended up saying "I love y—broccoli" and storming out of the room. But then again, Harry was nearly as daft as Ron. What had given him the idea for any of this? "What gave you the idea of going all out like this?" she asked, looking at the papers.

            "Terry."

            "That Ravenclaw from the D.A.?"

            "Yeah. I was talking to him last night."

            "Ron says you didn't come back to the room all night and I know for a fact that those are the robes you wore yesterday." She sniffed. "You smell like you haven't showered and have been sitting out in the rain. I know you weren't at breakfast. Where were you?"

            "The astronomy tower. It rained."

            "What were you doing there?"

            "Thinking about love, Hermione. Haven't you listened to a word I've said? I was sitting up there all night trying to figure out what love is. I couldn't very well tell her if I didn't know. That'd be cheating. So I had to figure it out. And now I have!" he crowed triumphantly.

            Madam Pince glared at him to be quiet.

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            Harry's plans would be ready by Saturday (it being Friday now, the day after he'd spoken with Hermione in the library). Their Occlumency lessons were that night. Harry went, but Luna wasn't there. He suddenly realized she was avoiding him.

            That wouldn't do at all. How could he tell her how he felt tomorrow if she avoided him? He'd just have to make sure there'd be no way for her to miss his words.

            After the Occlumency meeting, Harry went back to his preparations. He paid a visit down to the kitchen. He needed to ask a certain house-elf for a favor.

            "But, Harry Potter, sir! Dobby will get in trouble."

            "Dobby, please."

            "Harry Potter is looking at Dobby with very sad eyes. Dobby can't say no, but Dobby will get in trouble for this!"

            "Don't worry about it, Dobby. I'll take all the blame." With that settled, Harry went in search of a certain Ravenclaw. He found said Ravenclaw in the library (well where else would you find a Ravenclaw?).

            "I need to talk to you."

            "Sit."

            "Could we take this outside? I don't want anybody to hear me yet."

            The Ravenclaw shrugged and Harry led the way outside to the lake.

            "What was so important that we had to come all the way out here?"

            "I need you to do me a favor."

            "What is it?" Ravenclaws, being smart, knew not to agree to something without knowing what they were agreeing to. This one was no different.

            "I need you to kidnap her."

            "What? Are you off your rocker?"

            "No, just in love. And I need your help. You told me that I had to show it in a big way. Well I've got it, but I need your help."

            "How would my kidnapping her help?" asked Terry.

            "Well, you can get in the Ravenclaw common room. I can't. So unless you'll oblige me with the password, I have no way to get in."

            "I already told you, Potter, I'm not giving you the password."

            "I know that, that's why I need you to kidnap her for me."

            "I'm a pretty smart guy, but you're not making sense. Start at the beginning."

            "I love her. I want to prove I love her."

            "By kidnapping her?" Terry asked.

            "Yes, well, no. I mean, I don't know. See here's my plan…" he started to explain.

            Terry listened and nodded. "It's risky, but I think it might work. Who else is in on this?"

            "Well, there's a house-elf and Hermione. I'm going to ask her to take care of part of the set up for me."

            "You've got guts to match your heart, Harry, I'll give you that much."

            Harry smiled. "So you'll go after her tomorrow for me?"

            "Yes, yes, if she hexes me…"

            "Terry, I'm pretty sure you can take her." Harry wasn't at all sure that anybody was a match for Luna. She was good. She was very good.

            "Okay. Tomorrow." He turned to leave and paused, "How did you get one of those anyway?"

            "Inherited it."

            Terry nodded.

            "You won't tell anyone about it, will you?"

            "No. You can trust me." He walked away.

            Harry went and finished making his plans with Hermione and Hagird. Everything was set and ready for tomorrow.

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            Harry waited anxiously for dinnertime to come. He thought it might never come. He'd given the cloak to Terry earlier. Terry had specific instructions to discretely delay Luna's going to dinner until everyone else was out of the common room, and then to kidnap her by whatever means necessary.

            Harry waited nervously under the tree out by the lake. Everything was set.

            He saw a figure approaching in the dying light. It had come out of nowhere. As the person drew closer, Harry recognized it as Terry Boot, carrying Luna Lovegood on his shoulder. Her ankles and wrists were tied. Terry approached the tree.

            "I had to put a mute spell on her."

            "Why is she tied up?"

            "I took her wand, but I could have sworn she was still doing magic anyway. Stopping her hands seemed to help."

            "Okay, thanks, Terry."

            "You're welcome." He went and gently dropped Luna onto the blanket on the ground. "Here's your cloak back.'

            "Thanks."

            Terry handed him Luna's wand and walked off to dinner.

            Harry sat down next to her on the blanket. He preformed the counter-spell on the mute charm.

            "You've been avoiding me," he said simply.

            "You just kidnapped me," she replied evenly.

            "That's not strictly true. I had a friend kidnap you." He opened a bottle of butterbeer and gave it to her after untying her wrists.

            She raised her eyebrows. Where was he going with this?

            "Chicken?" He passed her a plate. He found himself oddly calm. "I've been thinking a lot about what you said on Wednesday and I have to tell you why I didn't say anything to you that day. You know what my life's been like, don't you?"

            She nodded.

            "Love. I haven't known love, Luna. I didn't know what it was. My parents loved me, I'm sure, but I don't remember. Nothing. Nothing at all. My aunt, my uncle, and my cousin: they don't love me. I knew that. I've always known that. For 10 years I sat in a broom cupboard under the stairs not knowing what love was. Not knowing friendship or trust or faith. None of it, Luna. These emotions were hard for me. I came here and I made friends and I just barely started to understand. Six years later, and how much did I really comprehend until two days ago?" he spoke softly. "I spent all that night on top of the astronomy tower, in the rain, trying to decide just what the heck love was, because I sure didn't know. I meditated on it for hours. You see, I couldn't tell you, until I knew, because that wouldn't be fair for either of us."

            She took a bite of her chicken and swig of her Butterbeer, keeping eye contact with him all the while.

            "So, I hope you'll forgive me for not saying it back to you on Wednesday. But I needed some time to think. Some time alone in order to really understand things. You can't really know or understand or love somebody until you know and understand and love yourself. Thanks to you, I do. Talking to you makes me feel really free and this is year I've finally started to understand myself a little. As far love, I explained that. I didn't know love. I wasn't even happy with myself; I was…guilty. My parents. Cedric. Sirius. You haven't been able to completely make it go away, but it's so much better now. I love you, Luna Lovegood. I love your laugh. I love your smile. I love the way you make me feel. I love the way you believe everything and anything. I love everything about you. I love _you_, Luna."

            Rather than respond with words, Luna leaned in and kissed him. She kissed him for quite some time.

            When they stopped kissing, Luna started to speak. "I understand completely, Harry, and I'm glad. I ignored you because I was hurt. I knew for certain that I loved you a while ago. I was just a little hurt that you didn't recognize it. But after thinking it over, I realized that you needed time and I reconciled myself to that. I'd rather wait a 100 years and be sure that you loved me and understood, rather than to just have you say it because I did.  I love you." She put her head on his shoulder.

            They finished eating. With Hermione's help, Harry had set a romantic dinner and candles out here.

            "I got you a present," he said.

            "You did?"

            "Yes."

            "What is it?"

            "Well, I wanted to get you a crumple-horned snorkack, but I didn't have time to go to Sweden and I don't think the school rules would allow one to stay in your dormitory." Harry pulled a box out from behind the tree. "This is for you."

            Luna opened the box (which was blue with a yellow moon on the outside). A furry black something with a blue bow around his neck jumped into her arms.

            "She's so precious!" she laughed, hugging the kitten to her. 

            Luna kissed Harry and hugged the kitten to her again.

            Harry smiled. That kitten had been hard to find, but with Hagrid help, he'd tracked down exactly what he wanted. On the kitten's chest was a white crescent moon shape. The kitten was as friendly as could be and had been staying with Hagrid the last day or so.

            "What are you going to name her?"

            "I'm going to name her Artemis."

            Harry smiled. "I've got another surprise for you."

            "Another one?"

            "Yes." He led her up to the castle and into the great hall. She still clutched the kitten. They entered the hall and as they entered, hundreds of voices said, "Harry loves Luna, Harry loves Luna, Harry loves Luna" repeatedly. All the voices sounded like Harry. Harry had bewitched the silverware. Now everyone knew. Harry sat Luna down at the Gryffindor table and grinned. They weren't hungry but they sat there with Ron and Hermione, and Neville and Ginny.

            After dinner, Harry walked Luna back to Ravenclaw house and said goodnight. As Luna went inside, Terry came out. "Excellent job, Harry." He grinned.

            "Thanks."

            "But some of the guys are a little upset. Now they're afraid nothing they do will seem romantic."

            "That's just too bad for them." Harry smiled. "I've got to go clean up all the stuff I left outside during dinner."

            "Watch your back, some of them are pretty upset."

            "Thanks for the warning."

            "Anytime." Terry went back inside.

            Harry went outside and picked up his cloak (which he'd hidden under the blanket before they'd left earlier). He cleaned everything up and was just starting back to the castle when he saw a group of boys in the distance. He took this as a warning sign and put on his invisibility cloak.

            He heard mutters of, "That Potter!" and went back to Gryffindor Tower and his dormitory without running into anyone else for the night. He grinned. Life was good.

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Thanks. I hope you review and keep reading! Sorry if this chapter was bit odd, I had some trouble cleaning up the mess the last chapter left me.


	62. The Flaming Match

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter. Not making ANY money off this, though I wish I was.

Sorry the last 2 chapters were weird. This one should be a lot better.

Last chapter I said that 60 and 61 took place at the end of March, but I was looking at the wrong chart. 60 and 61 were mid-April and this moves on from there.

**Replies:**

**Kraeg001—**Thanks for all your reviews!****

**Shehryar—**I know, this chapter gets the story back on track. Chapter 60 was an attempt to break my writer's block and chapter 61 was an attempt to clean up the mess left in Chapter 60. I hope you like this chapter better. I like Harry/Luna too!****

**Spiffycool—**Thanks. I tried to think of a pet Luna would like and that was as close as I could come to. Kittens are my favorite.

**Padfootgurl—**Thanks. :-)****

**Femalefredngeorge—**Thanks. I like happy endings too. I'm a sap too, but ssh! don't tell anyone. Hehe.

**Hrei-siesn—**Thanks****

**Chappy—**Thanks, yeah, I know it was kind of funky. This should be better. That one was rushed because I was just trying to get through it and on to this chapter (plot bunny attack, you know). Thanks.****

**Lord of Darkness13—**Thanks****

**Hpfanficluvr—**Thanks so much for the compliments, Jess. :-)****

**AthenaKitty—**Yes, Harry being deep for once. Of course Dobby gives in to Harry's pleadings; it's what Dobby does. A kitten for Luna because I love cats. No, the boys aren't really jealous. Their girlfriends are.****

**Dnd4ever—**Young love, precious isn't it?****

**Oxi-Nu—**Thanks!****

**Panuru4u—**Talking silverware, yes, unorthodox but I tried to be creative. Yes, yes, fluffiness, but nothing to be done about it except hope for a better chapter this time.****

**Jbfritz—**Thanks.

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**CHAPTER 62: The Flaming Match**

            The next two weeks passed swiftly and for the most part pleasantly (after Harry being cornered by some older boys who demanded to know why he had to go and do something so sweet for Luna and make them look bad in front of their girlfriends). The third week however, brought problems.

            The last Quiditch match of the season was only a week away. Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. The air was tense enough to cut with a knife. Members of the D.A. walked almost always now with one sleeve rolled up (guess which one). Even the latest joining members had phoenixes now and the others had long since had touch-ups and preservation spells done on their arms (all the phoenixes still looked brand new). Gryffindors not in the D.A. (and some Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws as well) began wearing scarlet and gold bands on their foreheads with a small blue stripe and a small yellow stripe. The Slytherins mustered behind their house colors of green and silver, wearing their own headbands. Poor Slytherins. They were fighting against the rest of the school.

            Jinxes, hexes, curses, punches, and kicks flew when they thought the teachers weren't looking. People were sent into the hospital wing by the half-dozens eventually, each with a lamer excuse than the one before as to how they'd gotten into their current state. All the medical and counter-curse books were checked out from the library in an attempt to avoid some visits to Madam Pomfrey.

            Five days before the match the Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws had forbidden anyone on the Gryffindor team to be anywhere outside the Gryffindor common room without an escort of at least a half-dozen trustworthy students. Slytherins had adopted the same rule for their team; they were taking no chances. Things continued to get worse.

            One day that week at lunch, Ginny drank her pumpkin juice and her arm went limp with no bones (she spent a very painful night in the hospital wing for that). The Slytherins had put a potion in one of their own drinks and then it was a simple matter of a switching spell. After that particular incident, the team's food was taste-tested (and it wasn't always safe). The HAS (Houses Against Slytherin) retaliated. Several Ravenclaws came up with a clever charm that they used on Malfoy to make him say, "I love Muggles" whenever someone said his name. It took him 2 days to remove the charm.

            Younger students as well as those not particularly skilled with curses (or who were particularly skilled with art) made signs and banners and put them up around the school. One of the most popular said, "Chase the snakes back in their holes!" and featured a rearing lion watching a snake disappear into a hole (with just its tail showing). The work was exquisite (Terry's though no one knew it) and often duplicated. Some of the duplicates were charmed to roar when someone walked past. The Slytherins' posters had a snake coiled around a lion's neck and choking him. The lion in the Slytherins' pictures was portrayed as weak and nearly starving.

            To avoid questions or anyone following him, Harry had to skip his Legilimency lesson with Luna on Wednesday. He skipped Friday's Occlumency lesson too, but he skipped that so that he could go talk to Luna. Everyone was so caught up in the pre-game excitement that the other Gryffindors in Occlumency skipped it too. He left Gryffindor Tower under his invisibility cloak and met her at 7 in McGonagall's room as they'd arranged.

            "It's just crazy, Luna! I can't get a minute to myself. Things are always bad before a match between Gryffindor and Slytherin, but never this bad before."

            "Why do you think they that they are this bad this year then?" Luna asked. Whenever Harry had a question that she knew he already had the answer to, she sharpened his reasoning skills by making him figure it out himself.

            "Because…because things have already been bad in the last couple of months with the Slytherins and the D.A."

            "And why else?"

            "And it's all out in the open this year. About Voldemort being back. Thanks to last year, everybody knows. They can't be safe and deny it anymore."

            "And…?"

            He furrowed his brow in thought. "They're realizing they've got to take sides. That they won't be able to stay safe and keep out of it forever. Their safe time is just about up. They are starting to realize that just because they don't fight or pick a side doesn't mean they won't get caught in the crossfire. So they figure now it's getting time that they have to choose."

            "Anything else."

            "Not that I can think of."

            "Me neither. I can sense your fear though. What are you afraid of?"

            "At the moment? I'm afraid that someone will be hurt tomorrow at the match. And that too many innocent people will be hurt before things end, before they really end. More than that even, I'm afraid that there will be no end. Even if I kill Voldemort, I don't think it means it'll be the end. If he dies, if he can die, someone else _will_ take his place. Killing an evil man, doesn't kill Evil. Evil will endure until the end of time. It's part of this world."

            "And Good too. As much as Evil is a force of this earth, so is Good. Whenever one man is oppressing another, there is yet another who will stand up and say to him, _'No, that's wrong! You can't do that!'_ There is still Good in this world, Harry. _There is_."

            He smiled fondly at her. "That's why I need you, Luna. To remind me that not _everything_ on this forsaken planet has gone to rot. To remind me that there's still stuff out there that's worth fighting for, even when we think we'll lose." Hope. Faith. Light. Trust. Innocence. Friends like Ron and Hermione. People like Luna. Those were all worth fighting for, weren't they? Yes, they were. Harry knew they had to be worth it, because if they weren't, nothing was.

            "You'd better be going back, Harry. I'm sure your housemates have a good luck celebration planned for you tonight."

            "I should walk you back to your house. Has anyone tried to hurt you this week?"

            "Not really. Ridiculed as I still am sometimes, people have learned not to push this starry-eyed Ravenclaw too far."

            "Alright then. Goodnight, Luna."

            "Goodnight, Harry." She kissed him on the cheek. "Good luck tomorrow."

            Harry donned his invisibility cloak and went back to Gryffindor, hidgin the cloak in his robes before entering the common room.

            "Where having you been?" scolded someone, seizing Harry's wrist.

            "We've been looking for you forever." 

            "We were afraid some nasty Slytherins had gotten to you."

            "We were about to send out a search party."

            "I went for a walk after dinner," Harry said. "I didn't think anybody would miss me."

            "We can't bloody well beat Slytherin tomorrow if we don't have a Seeker, you know."

            "Right."

            Ron was in the limelight, receiving much attention and good luck for the next day. Both versions of "Weasley is Our King" had been heard throughout the corridors all week.

            Hermione was not the sort who liked to be in the center of something like this. She wasn't overly fond of crowds. Harry found her sitting in a comfortable chair on the outskirts of the party.

            "Did Luna help calm your mind about tomorrow's match?" she asked.

            "Yeah."

            Hermione smiled. "She always does."

            "She reminded me that there's still stuff worth fighting for."

            "I think we all need that reminder sometimes." This week, Hermione had been submitted to all the same precautions as the Gryffindor team (bodyguard/escort and taste-tasters) because everyone knew that if something serious happened to her this week, the other 2/3 of the "dream team" would be useless with grief.

            They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, the kind of silence that wasn't awkward among close friends. "I think I'm going to bed. Tell Ron and Gin and everybody goodnight for me."

            "Ginny's already asleep. She said that she wanted to be at her best for the match tomorrow and that she would party after Gryffindor wins. I'm just waiting for the fuss around Ron to die down a little so I can tell him goodnight, then I'm going upstairs too."

            "Okay. Goodnight, Herms. Tell Ron that he shouldn't stay down here too late if he wants to be in top form for the match tomorrow."

            "I will. Goodnight, Harry."

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            Harry wake up with the sun in his eyes. It was going to be a bright day and they had a Quiditch match to win! Harry poked Ron in the stomach. "Up!"

            "Nnnng." He groaned and rolled over.

            Harry dumped a pitcher of cold water on Ron's head and Ron was suddenly very awake.

            "WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR?" he yelled, sitting up.

            Harry grinned. "Glad to see you're awake. We've got some Slytherins to humiliate on the Quiditch pitch, if you'd forgotten.

            Ron's eyes glowed. He'd been waiting for this match all year.

            When they got down to the common room, it was as though they were looking at a fire. Nearly everyone was wearing red or gold, very in house spirit. Others carried banners or signs. Harry knew that Luna would be wearing her giant lion's head to the match; she'd told him so.

            There was a cheer as Ron and Harry came downstairs. They, Ginny, and the other 4 members of the team (as well as Hermione) were given a guard of honor to escort them down to the Great Hall and the Gryffindor table.

            Their food was tested thoroughly prior to their eating (there wasn't actually much left once the tasters were done, but it didn't matter as most of the team didn't have much appetite that morning). The Slytherins were all decked out in green and silver. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs weren't completely decked out in red and gold, but nowhere among them was any silver or green. More people than ever wore the headbands and every member of the D.A. (except Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione) had their sleeve rolled up.

            The teams were escorted to the locker rooms (though there their guards left). They changed into their Quiditch robes and Harry gave a pre-game pep talk.

            "Look, we know what to do out there. You can already hear the cheers, but don't be overconfident. The Slytherins are out there and they'll do anything to win, including play dirty. Be careful. We can do this. This is what we've been working for all year. Let's go get 'em!"

            The team cheered and walked out onto the field at the same time as the Slytherins.

            The noise from the crowd was deafening, absolutely deafening.

            Ron nudged Harry, "Dumbledore's out there. Is he refereeing the match instead of Hooch?"

            "Maybe it's so the Slytherins can't cheat," muttered Ginny.

            "Maybe," Harry agreed. Harry and Malfoy stood beside Dumbledore, looking daggers at one another.

            The crowd had gone silent now, waiting for the start of the game.

            "I have an announcement to make. There will be no match," Dumbledore's voice boomed.

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Thanks. I hope you review and keep reading! Hee! Did you see that one coming?

**The next chapter will go up Sunday at the _earliest_. I'm going out of town. Realistically, we're looking at later in the week.**


	63. On the Pitch

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter

Sorry it's been so long since the last update and sorry this chapter is so short. Don't hate me, please. I've been hit by a major attack of writer's block and plot bunnies at the same time. Writer's block for the stories I'm already working on, and tons of ideas for new stories.

I noticed an error. In chapter 10, it says that Ginny is a prefect. In chapter 45 it says Ginny is not a Prefect. I think not being a Prefect suits her character better, but I think for this chapter (and especially 10), she needs to be a Prefect so I'm making her one. Ginny, I dub thee Prefect! I'll correct chapter 45 later. Enjoy, sorry this is short.

**Replies:**

Anonymous—Yeah, cliffhanger. I'm terrible about that. Thanks, I love that ship.

BlackBishop—Never seen love actually. I'm trying to keep the action level up now but with the last match I wrote I failed miserably to keep things interesting.

Phoenixdreams—Cruel writing device isn't it? Build, build, build, SMASH. It's gone. I hope this is up to par, a bit difficult in the writing of it (hence the short chapter and long time between updates)

Oxi-Nu—Thanks

Bookbug—Thanks. Yeah, I've been a little lacking in including classes. I'm trying some plotting with Snape's character and in the other Potter fic I'm working on Hagrid is dead so it's kind of easy to forget about him. He might be coming back to the picture soon. Breaking up fights maybe?

Dnd4ever—Exactly!

Kraegy001—hehe. Thanks.

Katie Lupin Black—Thanks

SpacyRicochet—Yeah, I originally didn't have this match earlier in the story because I couldn't decide who should win, then I decided that nobody should get the house cup. Maybe this is subconsciously symbolic (I hate symbols!) of the bigger war and struggle. I don't know really yet.

Feltons-babe90099—hehe. I didn't want Slytherin to beat Gryffindor, but I didn't want Slytherin to win either. It might be somewhat obvious but I may have a bigger plan, I'm not exactly sure yet. I don't know anything 'til it's written. Thanks.

Anonymously—Thanks, yeah, sorry about that. Writer's block since I last updated.

Spiffycool—Hehe. Very energetic review. Hyper? I am, well, I was earlier but I was at a dance so now I'm tired. You'll get your explanation, maybe kind of . *evil grin*

Hrei-siesn—Thanks, here it is.

Athenakitty—Yes a big fight. I don't know what you mean about hiding. Yes Dumbledore is canceling the match. You'll find out why in this chapter.****

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CHAPTER 63: On the Pitch**

            If the Headmaster hadn't silently put a very potent mute charm over the stadium at that moment, the din would have erupted even louder than before. The students were outraged.

            Dumbledore's eyes passed over the stadium and almost every student felt as though it were him or herself that Dumbledore was looking at. "Your behavior this week has not gone unnoticed. It was disgraceful. I thought Hogwarts students were better behaved than this. I thought you particular students were all better behaved than this; you are growing up during troubled times, but you were always still most of you fine people. I thought all of you knew not to let a little friendly competition go too far. I thought you had higher standards than this for yourselves. Apparently I thought wrong."

            Harry knew that voice; he dreaded that voice. It was worse than Dumbledore's angry voice, it was his _disappointed_ voice. Harry shuffled his feet and stared at the ground. He couldn't remember doing anything particularly wrong this week other than generally joining in on the Slytherin bashing that had gone around, but he knew that Dumbledore saw them all equal in this crime of hate against one another.

            "Let's just go over the events of the week, shall we? Putting banners up around the school to support your house and your team, that's fine, that's acceptable; that shows good house spirit. Putting up banners that are derogatory to another house, or painting the walls of the school itself, that is _not_ acceptable. Hexing or otherwise harmfully altering another person's food or drink at meals is _not_ acceptable. Attacking another student is _not_ acceptable; attacking for no reason, and especially when you outnumber the victim is despicable, detestable, and outrageously unjust. Right now there are 2-dozen students in the hospital wing with various injuries, inflictions, and ailments. Some of them have painful boils, one of them has their legs back to front, another has golden antlers coming out his head that are so heavy he cannot at the moment left his head without aid or possibly breaking his neck. These are a _few_ of the things that I have seen around the school. There are almost a dozen Slytherins up there; 7 Gryffindors; 3 Hufflepuffs, and 3 Ravenclaws. Quiditch has been _canceled_. Not only will there be no match today, but all practices for the remainder of term have been canceled unless I deem the houses healed enough to earn back the privilege. The goal posts will be removed. Anyone feeling the need to exercise or relieve some energy may run track around the pitch. Furthermore there will be assigned seating at meals until further notice and you will not be divided up by houses. If things do not begin to improve rapidly, drastic measures _will_ be taken."

            Harry noted the tinge of anger and sourness that crept into the usually jovial voice. He stood there in shock, integrating the houses? He'd be eating with Slytherins! Well, that just wasn't going to happen. He'd go eat in the kitchen with Dobby before letting that happen.

            "I want the hostilities between houses to stop. I would like all of the Prefects, Quiditch captains, the Head Boy, and the Head Girl to come to my office within the hour. Be prepared for more changes in the upcoming days. They will be necessary if Hogwarts is to survive the civil war it is undergoing at the moment."

            Dumbledore walked out of the stadium standing tall, and removed the mute spell.

            Ginny nudged Harry in the ribs. "I think that's us."

            "Yeah," said Ron.

            "Better be going," Harry said.

            "Not before we find Hermione," added Ron.

            Harry, Ron, and Ginny found Hermione as they entered the castle.

            "Oh, good. I was looking for the three of you," she gasped.

            "We were looking for you. We've got to get to that meeting." The four of them trotted off and met the other Prefects, Quiditch captains, and Heads on the stairs that led to Dumbledore's office.

            "Anybody know the password?" asked a Hufflepuff Prefect, 5th year.

            "His newest one is _ton-tongue toffee_," Harry offered. The gargoyle jumped aside and allowed them all access.

            Harry was the first inside and his eyes widened. Dumbledore was not alone.

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Thanks. I hope you review and keep reading. Sorry about the semi-cliffhanger again. I know who's in Dumbledore's office, so this time I know what's going on (kind of). So that's a good thing, right?****


	64. Reason for Dispute

**Disclaimer:** I STILL do not own Harry Potter.

Sorry it's been a while since the update. This chapter isn't very long either, but longer than the last one and I thought it better to post something rather than nothing after leaving 2 semi-cliffhangers in a row. So enjoy! And if you don't hate me, click the little review button (I don't think anybody hates me, so I hope to see many pretty reviews please) Or do you hate me? People hate me? Great, now I'm going to go cry instead of writing the next chapter.

**Replies:**

**SilverMoonLuna—**Yeah, I truly loathe Harry/Ginny! I don't write it at all. Though I've written some Ginny/Neville I'm not sure how well that ship sails either. Me too! I love Luna/Harry. I knew I didn't like any of the girls we already knew about to be paired up with Harry. That's why in the fics I wrote pre-OotP Harry ends up with a transfer student (a little cliché I know) but she's got something of an attitutude problem and bosses him around and is great at Quiditch. Somebody to keep his ego down (which is weird since in OotP we find out that James had a rather high opinion of himself…) Anyway, I'm rambling, aren't I? Yes, you're right about the mirrors. After I posted the chapter about the mirrors and the D.A. I said to myself, "Shoot, Erin! You already gave that mirror to Neville!" So, I decided that before the meeting Harry spoke with Neville to get the mirror back for D.A. use and just never had it mentioned in the story. I'll go back and fix it eventually; maybe I'll fix it when I fix that contradiction about Ginny being a Prefect (chapters 10 and 45).****

**ocpawnmaster1—**Thanks.****

**BlackBishop—**Thanks, yeah, I think this chapter has more plot, but it's still kind of a bridge chapter, I hope you like it.****

**Surarrin—**Yeah, I see what you mean. I was disappointed in him in the fifth book when I realized just how flawed he was. But hey, he's human like the rest of us and we can't get everything right, right? At least, I know I can't.****

**Emerald Flame—**Yeah, I've got to go back and fix Quiditch to Quidditch in all my stories. Haven't gotten around to it yet, so for now it's still Quiditch, but when I get a chance I'm going to change it all.****

**dnd4ever—**Friends again? Some of them were never friends. They don't even have to be friends as long as their civil to each other. But I wonder if they can even managed that.****

**star-pheniox—**You'll find out soon enough about who's with Dumbledore. Hehe. Wouldn't exactly say I like cliffies, they just happen to be an easy way out when you aren't sure yet about what the next part of the story is supposed to be. And it keeps readers reading. Hehe.****

**Hrei-siesn—**Yeah, it was a little extreme, but the thing is he _did_ just sit back and watch it happen. For nearly a month he watched things get worse and worse until the past week that was mentioned and by then it was just _so_ serious that he couldn't sit back and watch anymore. ****

**LilyFlower14—**hehe. Okay, here's the update! Thanks for reviewing.

**Wytil—**Just wait and see. *evil smile*****

**ILOVETOWRITE456—**Thanks.****

**Katie Lupin Black—**Thanks. You'll see.****

**phoenixdreams—**Yes, actually. My evil plot is to kill off the world by leaving cliffhangers at the end of every chapter. Then I shall become Empress of the Universe and force people to read good books! Haha! Or maybe I'll just stick to sitting at my computer and writing fic. Hmmm, second option sounds less stressful. Think I'll stick to it.****

**jbfritz—**Yup. Semi-fatal wounds. Doesn't Harry suffer some of those?****

**athenakitty—**Yes. The behavior situation has indeed gotten that bad at our beloved Hogwarts.****

**kraeg001—**hehe. Thanks. Hope you like the next chapter!

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**CHAPTER 64: Reason for Dispute**

            "_She's_ not a Prefect! What's she doing here?"

            "If you were not aware, Mister Malfoy, the one of the Ravenclaw prefects is in the hospital wing and shall likely remain there several days. Miss Lovegood here is taking acting as substitute for her."

            "Can we move on with this meeting? I have other, more important things to do," drawled Draco Malfoy.

            "Then leave," Harry spat.

            "Mister Potter, Mister Malfoy has just as much right to be here as you do," the Headmaster said sternly.

            Harry looked around to take a look around at all the people crammed into Dumbledore's office. He took a headcount, 26 students and 1 Dumbledore. Ginny and Colin were the 5th year Gryffindor Prefects and Ron and Hermione were the sixth. Dylan and Susie were the seventh year Prefects, but Dylan was also Head Boy. Harry was there as Quiditch captain. There were seven Hufflepuffs. Slytherin had all six of it's accounted Prefects, but they didn't have seven people since Malfoy was also the Quiditch captain. The seventh year Ravenclaw girl prefect was also head girl, there were 4 prefects beside, and Luna to fill in for the missing fifth year. Cho was there as the Quiditch captain.

            "Professor, what did you call us in for?" asked Hermione impatiently.

            "You might as well tell," Luna said in a singsong voice. "They've got to know."

            "What do we need to know?" asked Harry.

            "As Miss Lovegood has pointed out, you all need to be brought up to date on things. I'm sure you are all aware that you are not just students."

            "We're authority figures," Ernie said pompously.

            Dumbledore shut him up with a glare. "As I was saying, you are not just students. You are influential students. For various reasons, other students look up to you; they care about what you think and what you do. They follow your example. You must make peace with each other if the rest of the school is to be at peace."

            Harry asked stiffly, "Sir, how do you propose we do this? Slytherin and Gryffindor have been fighting since Hogwarts was founded."

            A fifth year Hufflepuff added, "Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws have never gotten along with Slytherins either."

            "Don't any of you listen to the Hat's song?" Hermione asked in exasperation.

            A general din of arguing broke out.

            "QUIET!" a croaking voice cut the air.

            They all searched around for the source of the voice, but didn't see anyone in the room who they didn't already know was there.

            "None of you knew the Founders. I did." They finally pinpointed the source of the voice. Sitting up on a high shelf and looking rather miffed (if a hat can really look anything) was the Sorting Hat. It started to hop down the shelves, a very difficult process. It landed on the 3 legged stool on the floor. "The Founders got along. Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin were best friends. The reason that the students I sort into Gryffindor and Slytherin fight so much is because they are so alike. Salazar and Godric were both stubborn, hard-headed, reckless, daring boys who loved to have their own way and always thought their way was best. Just like the students I sort into their houses. But unlike you prejudice creatures, they were friends and they got along. Pah! Control freaks _never_ get along well together because they both want their _own_ way _all_ the time. They were _friends_. The school split because of policy differences, _not_ because they stopped being friends first. But just like the hard-headed Gryffindors and Slytherins of today they held the grudge of the disagreement, wouldn't forgive each other, and _caused_ the split! Stubborn pigs both of them! Stop looking so smug, Macmillan. I remember sorting you, highfaluting little brat that you were. Would you like to know just why Helga and Rowena sided with Godric? Helga was loyal. She stuck by where her first loyalty was. The school. If the school was going to survive to couldn't be split. It had to stay as whole has possible and it had to be a _kind_ environment. It couldn't be prejudice and exclude people. And Ravenclaw! Rowena looked at it logically. If Muggle-born witches and wizards were left out with their powers untrained they would be dangerous to themselves and others. They would also be persecuted or abused by the other Muggles. Don't tell me it doesn't happen because I happen to know it _does_ happen. So she sided with Godric. Godric himself was a quarter Muggle or something of the like. And so was Salazar. Cousins if I'm not mistaken. Godric didn't see why anyone should be excluded from anything for being born whatever he or she was born. He couldn't understand why Salazar would want to exclude anyone, especially himself being the same. Maybe he thought having more than half wizard blood made him better than those with no wizard blood. They were all friends. All 4 of them and the split was caused by disagreements, not lack of friendship or prejudice. I was there. That is what happened. If you don't  believe me, ask the portrait of Allengoth the Ancient on the back staircase of the North tower. He's been here nearly as long as I have. Hmph!"

            The students were speechless. They'd never expected something like this from the Sorting Hat. They thought the only time it was even remotely aware was when it sang its song and sorted the students.

            "Thank you, Hat. Now as I mentioned on the field, severe action will be taken immediately. You will be removed from your house dormitories for the time being until I see fit to return you. As we speak, rooms are being furnished for you. You will spend this afternoon and this evening cleaning up the messes you allowed your housemates to create. Tonight, well I'll get to that in a bit. You will room together, eat together, and take classes together. This shall continue until I say otherwise. When you have learned to get along with one another and can set a good example for the rest of the school then you may return to your normal schedules. For the meantime, you will be handing in your badges. This week's activities, and the behavior leading up to this week, has indicated that you have proven yourselves unworthy of them."

            All but Luna, had at least one badge: Prefect, Quiditch captain, Head. None of them wanted to give up these badges. Harry hadn't realized just how much be Quiditch captain meant to him until today. Now he realized it. Quiditch was a huge part of his identity. It was something that came natural to him, flying was something he could do on his own; how many teachers had told him that he flew as well as his father? It was something that connected him with his unknown past. Dumbledore couldn't take that away. He wouldn't. Harry looked into Dumbledore's and knew that he could and would. He felt his Headmaster had betrayed him again.

            Hermione clutched her badge. He couldn't take it away! She was a Prefect! She hadn't broken many rules. Well as long as you didn't count the Polyjuice thing. Or flying to Department of Mysteries. Or going in the 3rd floor corridor in 1st year. Or…

            Ron's face paled under his freckles. What would mum say if he lost his prefect's badge? She'd been so proud of him when he'd gotten it…

            "What if we won't give up our badges?" asked Malfoy.

            Dumbledore snapped. The badges all appeared on the desk in 3 neat stacks. "Dobby," he called.

            A house-elf, most oddly dressed, flicked into sight. "Yes, Headmaster Professor Dumbledore, sir? What is you wanting of Dobby, sir?"

            "You remember the instructions I gave you earlier?"

            "Yes, Headmaster Professor Dumbledore, sir. Everything is ready."

            "Good. Lead these students to their designated work spots. If any of you disobey the orders Dobby gives you, I will know a bout it."

            "You want _us_ to take orders from a _house-elf_? A _Malfoy_ is above that sort of thing!" Draco said indignantly.

            "Mister Malfoy, Dobby is a free house-elf and no one is above anything when it comes to self improvement," Dumbledore said. "Dobby, lead them away."

            "What about Luna? She's not a prefect. Does she still have to be part of this?" asked Harry, worried for her. What if Pansy or one of the other Slytherins got to her?

            "Miss Lovegood has her own instructions already. Don't worry yourself about them." Dumbledore turned away from them and looked out his window so no one could see how much effort it was taking him to control his face.

            Harry patted Fawkes on the head as he followed Dobby and the others out. Draco refused to be outdone by Potter and attempted to pet the Phoenix as well but Fawkes snapped at him and tried to bite him; he missed only just barely, but he missed on purpose. Harry smirked at him and glaring at each other, they followed the others out into the hall.

            "Professor Dumbledore is wanting every one of you to take down the banners and clean off the paint. Here is the tools." He opened a door where there was paint remover, brushes, rags, ladders, and other things they would need. He directed them in groups of three to grab the supplies they needed and led the group of down the corridor, dispatching them in different places in groups of threes. Harry was lucky that Ron and Hermione were in his group.

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**Sorry the Hat's monologue is so long. Wow, I guess when you don't get to speak very often you can get a little chatty.**


	65. Let the Healing Begin

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

This chapter is a little odd. I try to keep my fic in the same style as JKR's, so I mostly keep it to Harry's point of view. I had to add a little bit from other people in order for this chapter to make sense but I think it's still okay.

**Replies:**

**LilyFlower14**—Happy Belated Birthday!

**Miss_Padfoot003**—Thanks so much. Hope you like this chapter.

**HPBeatles**—Thanks.

**Sofy**—Thanks. What did you mean by "How often you actualized it?" I update at least once a week when I'm able but it mostly depends on homework and my muse.

**BlackBishop**—Hehe. The point of it isn't even for the Slytherins and everybody to become friends (though I'm sure the Hat wants it to happen) they just need to act civil to each other.

**DarkLuna**—Thanks.

**Jbfritz**—Thanks.

**Zeromaru: Chaos Mode**—Look at it this way: it's a prophecy, whatever will happen has kind of already been decided. If Harry backs out, it was meant to happen that way, wasn't it? I dunno if I'd call Dumbledore evil. He's concerned. He's trying to do the right thing (though whether he is or not, I don't know).

**Phoenixdreams**—Thanks.

**Athenakitty—**Yes, Dumbledore is tired of their fighting and so are all the teachers. The Hat is very enlightening to them about the Founders. As for whether or not they'll get their badges back, only time will tell.

**ILOVETOWRITE456**—Thanks.

**Kraeg001—**Thanks. I'm starting to love that Hat. I think he should have a bigger role in the books.

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CHAPTER 65: Let the Healing Begin

            Harry stuck his brush in the paint remover and applied the brush to the wall.

            "What's Dumbledore playing at? He can't just take away our badges! We earned them," Ron said, angrily scraping glue off wall.

            "I'm not rooming with any bloody Slytherins!" Hermione said angrily. She was on top of the stepstool taking care of some of the higher up paint.

            Ron and Harry were shocked at hearing such language from her.

            Ron said, "I don't mean to sound braggy or anything but the three of us are Dumbledore's favorites. We all know he plays favorites. He wouldn't do anything _that_ horrible to us. He won't."

            "He could, he would, and he will, if I know anything about his nature. He wants to see the houses cooperate. He things putting us all in close quarters will force some bond of friendship, but it won't!" She stamped her foot angrily on the last word and lost her balance. She started to fall backwards. As quick as Harry's Quiditch skills and reactions were, this time Ron was quicker. He was there in a flash and caught Hermione in his arms. His knees buckled only a little at her initial drop and now she clung to him with her arms around his neck.

            "Shouldn't you be working?" asked a voice.

            "Yes, Professor." They gritted their teeth. What could Snape possibly want?

            "I word of advice, the quicker you learn to place nice with the other houses, the quicker your lives can get back to normal around here." He moved off after a sneer (though it was possible is advice was sincere for once). Ron and Hermione glared at Snape's retreating back and Ron set Hermione gently on her feet.

            "He's probably right," Harry muttered darkly. "I wonder if our favorite Headmaster sent him to us?"

            As they worked, Dobby passed by several times to check their progress and moved them down to another corridor when they finished that one. After several hours of work, Dobby led them to a room and told them to wait outside of it and warned them not to touch anything while he got the others. Ron, ever curious, tried to open the door and received a minor electric shock for his attempt. He scowled at the doorknob viciously.

            When Dobby came with the next three (2 Hufflepuffs and a Ravenclaw) he reproached Ron, "Dobby told Mr. Weezy not to touch the doorknob."

            Ron shrugged and looked embarrassed. How had Dobby known?

            When everyone was there, they went inside. The room was bare except for a wooden crate and a table and chairs. The table was circular with seating for 26 and a delicious array of food assembled on it. The catch was that there were place cards at every setting. Harry found himself seated with Luna on one side and Pansy on his other side. On Luna's other side was Draco.

            With sudden clarity Harry determined Luna's significance in the entire scheme. She was there to act as the peacemaker and to be the mediator among the quarreling students. And she was supposed to do it in such a manner that made it seem as though she wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary. Tricky, but certainly something Luna was well suited for. Harry wondered whether this setup was her idea or Dumbledore's. It had to be Dumbledore. It was just his sort of style too.

            Draco reached for a drumstick, but a stern voice said, "Remove your hand."

            Harry looked and saw Professor McGonagall standing behind Draco. "Do not eat yet," she said icily. "Well, everyone, take out your wands and place them on the table."

            Colin, seated next to Ginny who was next to Draco, opened his mouth to say that he didn't bring his. He clearly had an idea about what McGonagall wanted and he was unwilling to cooperate.

            "And _don't_ say you didn't bring it," she said sternly. "As if any of you troublemakers have gone anywhere this week without your wand close at hand."

            Grudgingly, every last one of them (Colin included) put their wand on the tabletop.

            Professor McGonagall picked up Colin's wand. He started to protest, but she simply moved on and picked up Ginny's wand, then Draco's, and so forth all the way around the table. When she had 26 wands clutched in her fists she put them in the crate in the corner. She locked it. "_Now_, you may enjoy your dinner." She departed, confident that worst they could do now would be get a couple of punches in. Although she supposed they could always stab each other with forks. At least they couldn't hex each other.

            The meal was quiet. Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws talked to each other, pointedly ignoring the Slytherins. Ginny and Colin talked, ignoring Draco. Ron and the Hufflepuff Quiditch captain talked, ignoring the Slytherin prefects on either side of them. Luna attempted to include Draco and Pansy on the conversation in her dreamy abstract manner. Draco and Pansy both pointedly ignored her and ate in silence though Luna kept up the chatter anyway and Harry sometimes made comments to her.

            When they had all finished eating, Professor Flitwick came for them. He hustled them down a corridor that was only vaguely familiar to Harry and read names off a list. Five people, Ron among them, were sent away into the room he stood in front of. The door shut before the others could see inside. Flitwick led them to the next room and called five more names. When they were at the fourth room he called 6 names. When they got to the fifth room, there were only 5 people left. Despite that obviously all of these people would be going in the same room, Flitwick read the names anyway, "Luna Lovegood, Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, Terry Boot, and Ernie Macmillan."

            Harry had seen this coming. Of course he and Draco would be paired together and of course Luna would be with them to keep the peace. Harry and the others went inside. The room was empty. T stone walls, floor, and ceiling were all bare with nothing anywhere. There was no window and the only door was the one they entered by. Flitwick shut the door quickly and the five of them knew for certain that he had locked it.

            "So what are we supposed to do?" asked Terry.

            "I think we're supposed to stay here and try not to kill each other," Harry said.

            Malfoy looked disgusted, "I suppose it could be worse. I could be stuck with the Mudblood or more of you annoying goody-goody Gryffindors."

            "How long do you expect we'll be kept here?" asked Ernie.

            "Until we can sort out our differences would be my guess," Terry replied.

            "Fat chance of that. What are we supposed to do in the meantime?" asked Ernie.

            "I think the fact that there are no distractions mean we're supposed to talk. I'm not feeling very chatty. I'm going to take a nap. Wake me when they come for us." Terry lie down on his side, tucked his arm under his head, and went to sleep peacefully.

            "It's too early to sleep." Ernie paced back and forward. The rooms were rather small for classrooms (if they'd ever been used for classrooms) so 8 paces and he had to turn around and pace the other direction.

            Harry couldn't stand the pacing and thought Terry had the right idea. If they weren't conscious, none of this could bother him.

            Harry stood in the opposite corner from Malfoy. They glared at each other. Luna sat in the center of the room and hummed to herself.

            Harry thought he would go crazy. Luna hummed. Ernie paced. Terry snored. He and Malfoy glared. His feet were starting to hurt, but he'd stand all night before showing any weakness in front of Malfoy. Things continued this way for an hour.

            Finally Malfoy broke eye contact. He stormed up to Luna and grabbed her by the collar and dragged her to her feet, shouting, "Stop that infernal _humming_!"

            She smiled placidly at him for a moment, oblivious to the fact that he was threatening her. She took up her humming right where she left off.

            Harry at last recognized the tune. It was the song she'd song to him after the D.A. meeting when he'd felt so helpless in regards to getting through to people. Harry was not just going to stand there and watch Malfoy threaten his girlfriend. "Malfoy, if you've got a fight to pick, leave Luna out of it." He stalked up to him.

            "Yeah?"

            "Yeah!"

            Draco let go of Luna as Harry gave him a good shove. Malfoy tumbled to the floor. He was in a rage and got up and started at Harry. Harry was used to guys much bigger than Malfoy beating him up. Things were a little different when you were fighting a guy who was your size and it was more or less a fair fight rather than trying to outrun bullies who wanted to hold your arms behind your back while they took turns hitting you. They traded blows and blocks until Luna suddenly stepped forward and held them both firmly at arms distance. Luna didn't seem to be exerting any great effort but despite Malfoy's struggles, he couldn't get any closer.

            Ernie had stopped his pacing to watch with interest. Terry pretended to sleep and watched through half-closed eyes. They watched with interest.

            Luna put her arms around Draco (Draco shuddered with a look of disgust but couldn't take his eyes from hers) and Harry's necks and brought them over to the wall. With one hand each she pinned them to the wall not hard, but with some sort of mysterious power she held them there. She managed to stare into the eyes of both at once. All the while, she still hummed. Her hands shifted and she wasn't pinning them, she'd grabbed a handful of robes from each of them and pulled them to the ground until the boys were sitting against the wall almost side by side. She sat in front of the two of them and started singing. She didn't sing the song she'd been humming; instead she chose another song.

_"The moment I wake up   
Before I put on my makeup   
I say a little pray for you   
While combing my hair, now,   
And wondering what dress to wear, now,   
I say a little pray for you   
  
"Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart   
and I will love you   
Forever, and ever, we never will part   
Oh, how I'll love you   
Together, together, that's how it must be   
To live without you   
Would only be heartbreak for me.   
  
"I run for the bus, dear,   
While riding I think of us, dear,   
I say a little pray for you.   
At work I just take time   
And all through my coffee break-time,   
I say a little pray for you.   
  
"Forever, and ever, you'll stay in my heart   
and I will love you   
Forever, forever we never will part   
Oh, how I'll love you   
Together, together, that's how it must be   
To live without you   
Would only be heartbreak for me.   
  
"My darling, believe me,   
For me there is no one   
But you."_

            As Luna's song ended, so did her power over the four boys in the room (Ernie and Terry hadn't moved since she started to singing). It wasn't so much the words of her song that had kept them enchanted, just the tone of her lilting voice. But now it was over.

            Draco turned his eyes to the floor. "Keep away from me."

            "Why?" she asked, pure Luna innocence.

            "Because I said so. And _I'm_ a _Malfoy_." He said it as though being a Malfoy made him royalty.

            "Not that it matters, but most of us here are purebloods. Why should being a Malfoy make you special?"

            "You're a pureblood too?" he scoffed. "So it's everybody but scar-head," he sneered.

            "Look at me," she said, a hint of command in her voice.

            He ignored her.

            "I said _look_ at me." 

            Slowly, reluctantly, Draco raised his head. He held Luna's stare defiantly.

            She spoke slowly and softly, but everyone in the room heard it. "You are no better and no worse than Terry, Ernie, Harry, or me, no matter what blood runs in your veins. We're equal, you understand?"

            Draco looked like he desperately wanted to tear is eyes away from hers, but he couldn't.

            Harry knew the feeling. Luna had an overpowering personality when she let it show. If she didn't want you to look away, you couldn't even blink. Harry didn't know what it was, but something about her commanded the utmost respect, even when she used to wear radishes in her ears and Butterbeer caps around her neck. Harry blinked. Why hadn't he noticed sooner? For the first time since he'd given them to her, Luna wasn't wearing the stars and moon jewelry. Her hair wasn't the shiny and nicely combed hair that it had been since the first time they'd been to Hogsmeade together. It was wavy and straggly. She was the very epitome of "crazy Loony Lovegood" as Harry had first seen her last year on the train, except that at the moment there was no wand tucked behind her ear and no strange magazine upside-down in her hands.

            Luna was persistent. "I asked you a question. You'd better answer me. Do you understand?"

            Draco's face was a mask of pure unadulterated hatred. "No," he hissed.

            "We'll just have to fix that," she said softly. She stood up, and Draco was forced to still hold her gaze from his place on the floor. At last, she broke eye contact.

            "Terry, come here," it was her dreamy, far-off voice, but there was still a slight note of command. He came forward a few steps. "Come here." He moved close enough so that if she could reach out her hand, she could touch him. She did. She reached out her hand and pulled him by his arm back to the wall where Draco and Harry were still sitting. She made him stand very close to where Draco was sitting. "Ernie," she said softly, turning back around.

            Ernie looked at her warily and Harry couldn't blame him. Few people had ever seen Luna in one of these moods.

            "Ernie, come here."

            He came forward with reluctance and was placed next to Harry.

            She looked at the four of them. Harry and Draco had not moved from their spots on the floor. She reached out a hand to each of them and helped them to their feet, Draco loath to let her touch him again.

            She paced back and forward in front of the four of them. "You boys really need to learn to get along. You have much more in common than you think. Selfishness. Vanity. Shyness. Arrogance. Different qualities that each of you share."

            "I'm not like _him_ at all!" Harry and Draco both shouted at her.

            "It's not polite to shout at people, Harry, Draco," she said as if talking to six year olds.

            "I will not be talked down to!" Malfoy said, he pulled back his arm, ready to punch her.

            She grabbed his fist and stayed it, staring straight into his eyes. "That's not nice either, Draco. It's not the fact that you're hitting a girl that's the problem. It's the fact that you're hitting anyone that disturbs me. It's not polite."

            He sneered at her.

            In the blink of an eye, she was pulling him across the room by his ear.

            Draco gritted his teeth and refused to scream, no matter how bad the pain in his ear was.

            She made him stand in the corner, facing the wall. "Stay there until I say you can leave. By the way, you don't have a choice in the matter. If I say you're not going anywhere, you're not."

            He seemed unable to move.

            Harry laughed. Nice to see Draco was being punished.

            Luna heard his laugh and sent a dagger-like glare at him.

            Harry quickly shut up. Now was clearly not the time to provoke her.

            But it was too late, she had heard him and it was too late for him to do anything about it. She crossed to his side of the room and took him by the ear just as she'd done with Draco.

            Harry gritted his teeth. _This hurts. But there's no way I'm going to let MalFerret know. I can outlast that bloody Slytherin at anything._

            She put him in the corner across from Draco's and gave him the same speech. "Stay there until I say you can leave. By the way, you don't have a choice in the matter. If I say you're not going anywhere, you're not."

            Terry and Ernie were careful not to make a single sound.

            Luna stood in the center of the room. "As you can see, if someone acts like a little boy, they will be treated like a little boy. If things get worse, I believe I will have to find timeout stools. The little ones smaller even than the sorting stool. Maybe painted bright pinked with the letters, 'You're in trouble' painted on them in a dark gray. Can you too behave yourselves in a discussion group?"

            There was no way Terry and Ernie were going to disagree with her. Not after all she'd done so far. Why was she so unlike the Luna she normally was?

            Harry stood in the corner facing the wall. So this was what it was all about. Luna was there to teach them to get along. How was she doing it though? Harry knew that his feet couldn't move if he tried and he didn't think it'd be a good idea to try. Was it just her overwhelming Luna-ness that had this affect on them all? No, he didn't think so. But then what was it?

            Ever since he'd really gotten to know her this year, Luna had seemed special and different, but what was up with this? One minute singing sweetly enough to charm Draco Malfoy himself and the next dragging the boys to separate corners by their ears. Four boys, four corners. She could get them all if they misbehaved. Harry couldn't even remember having this sort of punishment as a child. He'd always just been locked in his cupboard instead.

            He wondered what to do. There was no telling how long they'd be locked in here together. Maybe if the others were distracted, he could try to talk some sense into her. The youngest one there and she was completely in charge. He wondered if this was part of her deal with Dumbledore. His words echoed back now, "Miss Lovegood already has her instructions."

            Of course it was part of her deal. Why was she wearing her old jewelry instead of what he'd bought her? And why wasn't her hair properly brushed? Maybe she went back to her old self to avoid any though of favoritism. No, that didn't sound like her. Anything she did she did for her reasons alone, not because of what _anybody_ else would think.

            Harry had probably been standing there half an hour, half-listening to Luna chatting with Terry and Ernie. He felt something change. She raised her voice, "Harry, Draco, if you feel you can behave yourselves now, you may come join our circle."

            Harry and Draco both started back to the center of the floor at the same time, both feeling equally humiliated. "You do not have leave to call me by my first name," Draco said stiffly.

            "Sit, Draco," she said pleasantly. "Oh, and, Ernie, if one word comes out of your mouth, you'll be sent off to that corner over there." She tilted her head slightly and Ernie bit back the sharp comment that Harry saw had been about to come from his mouth.

            Draco and Harry sat cross-legged on either side of Luna. "Now the healing can begin," she said pleasantly. "Time for everyone to state everyone else's faults and talents."

            Draco snorted. "I'm not going to—"

            "Draco, and I don't need your leave to call you by your name; we're all equals here. This room has been enchanted by powerful magic. You an only speak words that are true. Words that are unkind will earn you a timeout." She smiled dreamily, "Who first?"

            By now, the other boys had recognized that the dreamier Luna looked, the more attention she was really paying.

            No one volunteered.

            "Harry, first then. Terry, I want you to tell Harry one fault he has."

            "Sometimes, he doesn't think before he acts and it gets him into trouble."

            "Ernie, one fault that Harry has."

            "He's cocky. He thinks he's best Quiditch player at the school." He was remembering the game when Cedric had beaten Harry; Ernie obviously felt that since he was not undefeated (the circumstances didn't matter) Harry was not the best.

            "Draco, one fault that Harry has."

            Draco grinned. "He's…" He had to think for a moment. He always had plenty of insults for Potter, why was this so hard now? Reckless and arrogant had already been used. Being famous didn't count as a personality fault and Potter wasn't stupid. "He's illogical. Some things he does have no logic or reason behind him."

            "I suppose that is a flaw, though it seems like something a Ravenclaw would say rather than a Slytherin. Did the Hat ever consider putting you there?"

            He was silent but looked at her defiantly. Then he said in a low voice, "I'm a Slytherin through and through. You remember that."

            She nodded. She looked Harry in the eyes when she said, "I'd have to say one of Harry's flaws is that he almost never takes advice when it's given to him." She released his gaze, "Terry next. Harry, what is one of Terry's flaws?"

            "He's afraid. He draws beautiful pictures but he doesn't show them to people and when he does, he doesn't let them know that they're his. He's worried about what other people will think, when he shouldn't bother worrying about that at all."

            "Ernie, name one of Terry's faults."

            "He's too shy. He needs to be more outgoing."

            "Draco, name one of Terry's flaws."

            "He's too quiet. I never trust the quiet ones."

            "You've never seemed to be much of a talker yourself, Draco." She turned her eyes to her housemate, "One of Terry's faults is that he is too logical. He lacks confidence in his work, in his emotional side, and so he resorts to cold logic." She dropped Terry's gaze, "Ernie next. Harry, what is one of Ernie's faults?"

            "He's pompous. He makes a big show of everything and thinks it's great that way."

            "Terry, name one of Ernie's faults."

            "He's bossy."

            "Draco, what's one of Ernie's faults?"

            "He's a liar. He acts brave sometimes when it's really all bravado."

            She turned to Ernie and looked him in the eyes. "One of Ernie's faults is that he's arrogant. Nearly the same thing as pompous, but different too." She dropped his gaze and turned to Malfoy. "Draco next. Harry, you first."

            Harry tried not to grin, knowing that it would cause her to get angry again. MalFerret had so many faults it would be impossible to choose! "He's a snob. An absolute prat. Thinks he's better than everybody else."

            "Terry, what is one of Draco's flaws?"

            "He bullies people. He's not even a fair bully, he usually gets somebody else to do his fighting for him and picks on weaker people."

            "Ernie, name one Draco's faults."

            "He's an elitist. He's prejudice against anybody who's not a pureblood or who doesn't believe purebloods are better than everybody else.

            She looked him squarely in the eyes. "Draco's problem is that he's afraid to be afraid and afraid of what people would think if they knew the real him. He has fears he'd never admit."

            Draco's cheeks tinged the slightest pink. She had obviously hit a nerve.

            "Now, we're going to name a good personality trait or a virtue and a talent of everyone's. Harry first. Terry, one virtue, one talent."

            "Patience, like if he's trying to teach somebody something.  A talent? He learns spells really fast and can react quick too if somebody uses a spell against him."

            "Ernie."

            "Harry's brave. Talent…he knows how to make friends."

            "Draco."

            Draco scowled. He hated Potter with all his guts but he knew he wasn't stupid or useless. Why did he have to join the goody-goods? Potter would have done well in Slytherin. "He's not stupid and he can fly bloody well at Quiditch," he muttered.

            "I couldn't hear you, Draco."

            "I said he's got brains and he knows how to play Quiditch, Lovegood. Don't make me repeat myself."

            "My name is _Luna_. One of Harry's virtues is his love and commitment to helping others. One of is talents is knowing when to be quiet, most of the time."

            Harry scowled at her. "Knowing when to shut-up is not a talent!"

            "Yes, it is. Obviously one you're lacking at the moment," she said complacently. "Besides, would you rather me have said your talent was that you're good at kissing?"

            Harry turned red and started muttering under his breath. The others succeeded, with great difficulty, at not laughing at him.

            They went through Terry and Ernie's virtues and talents. Then, only Malfoy was left.

            "Harry, name one of Draco's virtues and one of his talents."

            This was not so much fun. What was the git good at anyway? "Er, leadership. He can take control of a group."

            "And a talent?"

            "He…er…always dresses neatly. He never wears wrinkled robes or anything always has his hair combed."

            Luna nodded. Good enough. "Draco's virtue is his self-respect; he knows who he is and likes who he is. His talent is his quick wit. He's very good with comebacks."

            "Did it just occur to anybody that there's light in this room and there's no source for it?" asked Terry.

            "Yeah, I just realized that too." The room was fairly well lit without any apparent light source.

            "Do you know why that is, o wise one?" asked Draco sarcastically to Luna.

            "Sarcasm will not get you anywhere in life, Draco." She stood up and hauled him off to his corner by his ear. She made him face the wall on his knees holding his hands back behind his head. "Stay there." She sat gracefully back down in her place in the circle. "I think we should play a game."

            "Like what?" Harry asked, trying not to sound sarcastic, although he didn't see how they could play any sort of game without anything in the room.

            "Twenty questions. I spy. Guess that tune. All sorts of things," she replied.

            Ernie said sarcastically, "Great. And if we had a bottle we could play spin the bottle. You could spin and whoever it landed on gets to kiss you."

            Luna grabbed him by the ear and hauled him to his feet, "That is impertinent. It will not be tolerated." She dragged him to another corner.

            He started to go down on his knees like Draco.

            "Get up."

            "What?"

            "Draco has to stay that way because it was his second offence. This is your first. You're allowed to stand up." She went back to the circle. "Let's play 'guess that tune'." She started humming and over the course of ten minutes, Harry and Terry guessed 3 out of the 15 songs she started to hum. By then she called, "Draco, Ernie, you may come back now if you're willing to cooperate.

            The came back, not looking at all pleased. Draco tried not to rub his sore arms or knees. He refused to show weakness in front of Potter.

            Suddenly the light in the room dimmed and went out. They were in pitch-black darkness. Harry immediately searched for Luna and found her hand. "Luna?" he whispered.

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Disclaimer #2: I don't own that Aretha Franklin song I used.

You might think Luna was a little off in this chapter, but this is kind of the side of her that most people don't see in her very often. The commanding, controlling side that Harry noticed during his Occlumency and Legilimency lessons alone with her. As for her special powers in that room it's mostly because she's Luna and she's awesome. Further explanation will probably come in a later chapter.

Longish chapter! Review please. Let me know what you think of it by pressing the little Review button at the bottom. I'll try and get the next chapter up real soon but I've got to work on some neglected fics.


	66. Not Staying Here and You Can't Make Me

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and I likely never will.

Hey, everybody! Thanks for the reviews. I put my replies up here. I don't think I have anything specific to say other than those. Oh and, especially anybody who has a long reply here, please read what I wrote you because I really think I cleared some stuff up with it. Enjoy the chapter.

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**Replies:**

**Rini Sayian-jin**—Thanks.

**Katie Lupin Black**—Thanks. My plan wasn't necessarily to make them fierce persay, just in control, or rather, to give Luna control. Some people think she's being off character but it's all part of my master plan.

**Oxi-Nu—**Thanks.

**Ben**—Okay, Ben. I give you a high five for speaking your mind, but if you're reading this I've got a couple things to say. Firstly, I think the "badly written" comment was just plain snarky. I have a few grammar errors but I think you threw that in just because you could. Secondly, I kept Luna how she appeared in book five pretty much up 'til this point. As for what's going on now, it's integral to plot. Harry needs a Dumbledore, he lost his faith in the Dumbledore he had at the end of fifth year, so Luna's being his new one for the time being.

**HPBeatles**—Thanks. Hope this was soon enough, I've been swamped with schoolwork this week.

**MatureImmaturity**—Thanks. I know I've got to fix Quidditch. I've spelled it wrong in every story. At the moment, I haven't got time to re-upload ever chapter of every story with the word "Quiditch" in it.

**Serious Prankster**—Thanks. Don't worry, Luna can't control everything. Besides, she's getting a little help as far as some of her control (though some of it is just her Luna-ness). I'm a control freak and have a tendency to writer overly strong females.

**Civenus**—Thanks. Interesting penname by the way.

**Wytil—**Thanks. I don't think the serious stuff is over. I'm not quite sure. I suppose this part of the therapy might be called "group activities?" I always thought Luna would be a great unofficial therapist for Harry (the original reason I decided to pair them together as a couple).

**DarkLuna—**Thanks. Yes, I know that Salazar and Godric used to be friends. I know people like that. They care about each other but leave them alone together for more than 5 minutes and they bicker like cats and dogs. Honestly, in my house there's 4 of us all equally control freaks and equally sure we're right all the time. Never a dull moment… *sigh* I won't give anything in the story away by saying anything now though.

**KoontzReaderz—**Thanks  so much.

**Dnd4ever—**I think you were complimenting me, but I have no clue what a DI is and what can take out a lot knees in boot camp? (I'm afraid I don't pay quite as much attention as I should when my dad talks about marines or boot camp)

**DMP—**Thanks!

**ThundeR_CN**—Luna's got some faults, just not all of them are showing up just yet. As far as her being Luna and not Dumbledore, you're missing the point. She's supposed to be Dumbledore in these chapters. She's supposed to be like the Dumbledore that was in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and even Harry Potter in the Chamber of Azkaban. Basically, she's being Dumbledore before Harry lost faith in him. He needs that steadying force in his life. At the moment, she's the one providing it. Soon he'll realize she's not that kind of person either, though hopefully he won't lose faith in her over it. I can never tell, because I'm never sure what I'm going to write until my fingers start flying across the keys. Oh, and as to her being a Mary-Sue, generally the other characters tend to like the Mary-Sues because they're perfect. Luna isn't perfect in this (though she's got some great abilities) but at the moment, it appears everybody (even Harry) hates her.

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CHAPTER 66: Not Staying Here

            "Get out of my face, Potter," snarled Malfoy.

            Harry dropped the hand immediately. Ew, Malfoy! He'd thought Malfoy was Luna! He shuddered. Harry backed up a few inches to get away from Malfoy and crashed into somebody else. "Luna?"

            There was a sigh. "No, Potter."

            "Sorry, Ernie." He removed himself from Ernie and sat a few inches away. He figured sit still and eventually the lights will come on and you won't crash into anybody.

            Then somebody crashed into him. "Oof!" Harry felt all the air go out of him.

            "Are you okay?"

            "Yeah, fine, Terry, just get off my stomach."

            "Sure."

            Finally it seemed like everyone must have been sitting still, because there were no more groans, thumps, or shrieks of pain.

            Harry stayed sitting where he was. "Luna? I can't see you. Are you okay?"

            "I'm fine."

            He heard the sound of somebody standing up and walking.

            Luna went over and found one of the boys, touching his face with her hand. "Terry?"

            "Yeah, Luna?"

            "Stand carefully and come this way. Grab my hand."

            "I can't see your hand."

            "But you know where it is. It's on your face."

            Terry found her arm and grabbed on to it.

            Luna carefully picked her way to one of the walls, leading Terry close behind. "Stay here."

            He nodded, forgetting she couldn't see him.

            Luna got on her hands and knees and started across the floor again. She found somebody's ankle. "Give me your hand."

            The person whose ankle she had reached out, trying to find her hand. She grasped his hand and pulled him to his feet. She reached and found his face. "Ernie?"

            "Yeah."

            "Follow me." She carefully led her way to a different wall and told him to stay there. She found the next boy by similar method. She was crawling on the floor searching and ran into Draco's back with her head. "Ow." She rubbed the bridge of her nose.

            "You okay, Lovegood?" asked Malfoy.

            "Just peachy. Give me your hand and stand up."

            "What? Can you see in the dark?"

            "No, but I can move without tripping over people."

            "I can't see you to give you my hand."

            "I've got your ankle. Just put your hand on your ankle."

            "I can't see my ankle, twit."

            "There's a certain sense about the body. Even if you can't see them, you know where your other parts are."

            Draco reached out and found his ankle and Luna's hand. They stood up and she carefully led him over to the wall. She told him to stay put and went to hunt out the last boy. Fortunately, this time there were no other bodies to trip over. "Harry," she called softly.

            "Right here."

            She found his hand and took him over to the last free wall. She told him to stay put. Now the middle of the room had five blankets and five pillows, with no logical explanation as to how they got there. She handed them out to the boys and kept one pillow and one blanket for herself and curled up in the middle of the room.

            When Harry woke up, he couldn't see anything, but he had the distinct impression that someone was very nearby.

            "Potter," hissed Malfoy.

            Harry sat up. What would Malfoy possibly want?

            Terry whispered, "Luna's driving us crazy! None of us can take much more of it. We're going to break out of here."

            "How?" asked Harry.

            "Don't know," said Ernie, just to the left of Terry, "but the four of us together should be able to come up with something."

            "There are no windows and only 1 door. It has to be our way out," Terry said logically.

            "Since we don't have our wands to get us out, we'll have to do this without magic. That's where you come in, Harry," Ernie said.

            "Why me?" asked Harry, sitting up.

            "Because you're the only one of us who's ever lived in a house without magic," Malfoy explained as though it was obvious.

            Which it was.

            "Muggle methods for opening locked doors," Harry muttered, thinking of what he wouldn't give for one of Fred and George's lock-picks. "Lock-picks, bobby-pins, credit cards. Nobody's got any of those one them, have they?"

            "No," Malfoy said shortly, wondering just what a credit card was.

            "Give me a minute to think. Where's the door?" asked Harry.

            "You're leaning against it."

            "Oh. Right." Harry thought. "Do you think we could break it?"

            "Probably not, definitely not without waking Luna," Terry said.

            A most inelegant snore came from the center of the room and the boys stifled their laughter in their hands. All four of them.

            "I'd say she's pretty sound asleep," Ernie said.

            "What makes you say that?"

            "Well, when Justin snores like that…We all tried to wake him because he was snoring so loud the rest of us couldn't sleep. We were going to tell him to go sleep in the common room, but we couldn't wake him up. We shouted at him, threw cold water at him, and we tried everything. Nothing worked. In the end we just dragged out to the common room and left him sprawled on the couch. Didn't wake up the whole time."

            They all laughed again, though Draco cut his laugh short when he realized he was laughing with sworn enemies.

            "Should we give the door thing a try?" asked Ernie. "It couldn't hurt.

            The last statement proved to be wrong.

            They each got up carefully in turn (the other three each backing away from the door) and rammed it their shoulder, taking it at a running start.

            Luna didn't wake, but all that was gained were four sore shoulders.

            Terry sighed. "Maybe we're going about this all wrong."

            "Maybe we should all try together?" asked Harry.

            "Might help," Ernie said, not sounding as though he particularly liked the idea.

            They all stood up together. "On three?" asked Terry.

            "One…" Ernie started.

            "Two," Harry said.

            "Three," finished Draco.

            They all ran and hit at the same time (it was a rather large door) and didn't even make a crack in it. By silent agreement they all sat down for a breather.

            "That…is obviously…not…working," huffed Ernie.

            "What's the lock look like?" asked Terry. "Anybody remember?"

            "No."

            "Not me."

            "I do. It was just an ordinary lock that you stick a key in and it can lock and unlock from either side as long as you have the key for it," Draco said glumly.

            "So that's no good."

            Harry went back to concentrating. How many times had he escaped the cupboard under the stairs? Too many to count when he'd been locked in without food as a punishment. How had he done it? He blinked. "Hinges!"

            "Ssh!" warned Terry. "What about hinges?"

            "If this door has got regular hinges, the kind connected to the door and the wall with a pin them…" Harry started.

            "Then if we take out the pins, we can open the door," Draco finished.

            "It's worth a shot," Terry said.

            Not sure which side the hinges were on, Draco and Harry took one side and Terry and Ernie took the other.

            Harry and Malfoy's side had the hinges. "I'll get the top, you get the bottom." Harry felt along the seam of the door, trying to find the hinge. Success! Harry found the pin and tried to move it. It was stuck. "I've got it, but it's stuck."

            "Same here," grunted Draco.

            At last both pins pulled free. "Ha!" they exclaimed marveling that it had actually worked and falling backwards. They both hit the floor with sound thuds.

            Ernie and Terry found them and pulled them to their feet. They approached the door and Harry wedged his fingers between the edge of the door and the wall and started to pull. It wasn't easy since the other side was locked and there was no hinge. Inch by inch he pulled, it was about 3 and half inches and a small beam of light was shining through.

            A sharp voice cut the air. "Going somewhere?"

            Harry and his accomplices froze. So much for their escape!

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Hope you liked it! Review. I'll try and update as soon as I can. I'm only a few paragraphs into the next chapter but I think you'll be surprised.


	67. Breakfast

**I'm unbelievably sorry! Between being busy and having writer's block, I haven't updated in forever. PLEASE don't hate me. This chapter is unbelievably short. I figured I might as well post what I had so far while I groveled for forgiveness.**

**_CHAPTER 67: Breakfast_**

            Harry stared at Professor Snape.

            A sleepy-eyed Luna Lovegood got up and approached Harry and the others, "Did you really think you could get away? The Headmaster wants you to stay. Your Heads of Houses want you to stay. This means, you aren't going anywhere."

            "Miss Lovegood is correct. It would be best if you resolved your issues as quickly as possible. Only then will you be released. The Headmaster does not wish to have a repeat of the activities that have occurred throughout the school as of late," Snape sneered.

            "Have any of the other groups been released yet?" asked Harry.

            "Two of them. This group remains, as well as the groups Weasley and Granger are apart of." Snape walked away after muttering a spell that put dim light in the room and fastened the door shut once more.

            "How long are we going to stay in here?" Ernie asked uncomfortably.

            Luna shrugged. Her eyes far away.

            "I kind of need to be out of here _now_," Ernie said.

            "So do I," said Harry.

            The other two boys nodded.

            The lights grew a little brighter and they saw four stalls, one in each corner. There was another stall in the middle.

            "Where does this stuff keep coming from?" Draco asked, entering one of the stalls and shutting the door behind him. The rest of them followed suit.

            When they all came out, very much relieved, and washed their hands in the basins of water that had appeared between their going in and coming out, the lights went off again. When the lights came back on, the stalls and basins were gone.

            Luna said dreamily, "Since it's morning now, I think we should have a share time."

            "Morning? We hardly got any sleep," complained Ernie.

            She glanced at him, "It's not my fault. I didn't tell you to stay awake all night plotting your escape."

            She had a point.

            "Don't we get any breakfast?" grumbled Draco.

            "You do," she smiled faintly.

            "Where is it?"

            "You've got to cook it."

            "I've never cooked before in my life," he said.

            "We'll have to remedy that. Why don't you work with…" her eyes passed over each boy until she got to Harry. "Harry."

            He'd seen this coming. "No, no. Come on, Luna. Just have a little mercy on me. It'll go faster if  I do this by myself," Harry said.

            "I don't think so. I think Draco should learn to cook and you should learn some teamwork skills," she said distractedly. "Over there are pots, pans, food, a stove, and an oven." She gestured vaguely and when they looked, all those things were occupying one side of the room. "The rest of us can sit at the table and talk."

            "There's no—" started Terry. He was wrong, now, on the other side of the room, there was a table and chairs.

            Harry groaned. This was going to be a very long day. He looked over at Draco as they made their way over to the stove. Draco had a look of pure disgust on his face. A very long day.

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Volleypickle16—Thanks

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Smalfrie16—Thanks

Iceflower—Thanks for review. I think you should still write your story. It sounds great.

HYPERdingdong39—Thanks. The plots? Well, the little green monkeys that live behind my eyes whisper them to me when I try to sleep.

FIREFLIGHTS1977—Thanks

  
BlackBishop—Thanks. Yeah, this is all part of Dumbledore and Luna's master plans!

Emerald Flame—Thanks.

Ugly Duckling—Thanks, I know I'm crazy!

Michaela—Thanks

Athenakittty—Yep, door almost open…

Miss_Padfoot003—Thanks. 

Jbfritz—Thanks

DarkLuna—Thanks. My dad and my brother curse, but I don't.

ShanniC—Thanks. Of course they got caught; I couldn't let them off that easily!

Dnd4ever—Thanks. Thanks for explaining.

HPBeatles— :-)

Sewducky—Thanks. I don't know if she was really sleeping or not. Originally it was her who was going to have that snapping line, but then I decided against it. Originally Snape was going to be at the door, then you said that would be predictable, then I decided the best way not to be predictable was to do the most predictable thing! Wow, did that even make sense?

Zesuit—Thanks. I think that's what I'm doing.

If you don't hate me, please review. Again, I am SO sorry.


	68. Chef Potter

**Disclaimer:** Still don't own this if you haven't quite figured that out yet.

**Author's Note:** Sorry, chapter's short again but longer than the last one. I'm trying to get back into this; I swear I am. I never really recovered from my Lily/James addiction.

**Replies:**

**Lord of Darkness**—Hope this update was soon enough.

**Jbfritz**—Thanks

**Volleypickle16**—Thanks. Hope this chapter is more eventful.

**Miss_Padfoot0003**—Thanks. Hope this update was soon enough. Sorry it's still kind of short…

**Easilyamused**—Thanks. Wow, your penname totally describes me!

**HYPERdingdong39**—Thanks so much!

**Joeyperson**—Don't worry, you won't miss it!

**Rini Sayian-jin**—Thanks. I'll try. The monkeys don't listen very well. I've tried training them but they still often speak in Elvish. I've tried to explain that I'm not fluent yet but they're monkeys. They have their limits.

**J0—**Welcome.

**Katie Lupin Black**—Thanks. : - ) Thanks for reviewing "Enough" for me too. That one was kinda funky. I just heard the song and had to write it.

**Dnd4ever—**My thoughts exactly!

**Michaela**—Thanks. I love HP/LL

**Zeromaru: Chaos Mode**—Not so wrong. : - ) I almost did have Luna say it…

**Harry+lissa=luv—**Thanks. Harry/Luna is one of my favorite ships.

**Iceflower—**Translate it into English? That'd be cool. What's your first language?

**Kat—**Thanks. Yeah, I know how it is to go through fic withdrawal. Happened when some L/J's I was reading didn't get updated. I was most depressed.

**Cadabra**—Thanks. Wow, you read it for that long? I'm amazed anybody's still reading this. Thanks!

**FawkesFreak**—Not one day without a fic to read? I can recommend a list of good ones. There are some great ones in my Favorite's List. I don't really sail the Draco/Harry ship. Just nothing in the books to indicate it (I try to keep things as canon as I can). I'm a Harry/Luna shipper.

**Natalie**—Thanks

**Corwin**—Thanks. Yay, I converted another one! Hehe, sorry. I just love the good ship HP/LL.

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**Chapter 68: Chef Potter**

            Harry ground his teeth. "Can I please do this alone?" he asked.

            "No. Either he helps you cook or no one eats," Luna said.

            "Okay, Malfoy. This isn't that hard. You pick up the egg like _this_, and crack it against the side of the bowl like _this_. That way there isn't any shell in the egg."

            "It's not that easy. It keeps breaking." Malfoy's voice was strained as he tried not to scream.

            "We're making scrambled eggs. You _can't_ make eggs if the shell doesn't break!"

            The egg in Malfoy's clenched fist shattered.

            They were both losing their already short tempers. They'd gone through a dozen eggs and Draco still couldn't get it right. They couldn't move on until the eggs were done; they didn't know why, only that they couldn't.

            "Again. Just tap it on the side of the bowl."

            Draco picked up another egg tapped it on the side of the bowl. Nothing happened.

            "A little harder then."

            The egg shattered again.

            This went on for another twenty minutes, until Draco said, "I've got an idea."

            "What is it?"

            "Remember what you said about not being able to make eggs if you don't break the shell?"

            "You were listening?" he asked sarcastically.

            "Shut-up, Potter. You can make eggs where you don't have to worry about the shell."

            "I think I see what you're getting at."

            Draco nodded. "Soft-boiled eggs. They're my mum's favorite; the house-elf makes them. Or, used to make them. We had a heck of a time finding a new one and she's absolutely useless. Nowhere near as trained as are last one." He glared at Harry.

            Harry showed Draco how to heat up the pan with water in it (a mysterious tap had appeared) and they put the remaining eggs in once it was boiling.

            Next, Harry showed Draco how to slice potatoes into little discs. Draco had no problem with this. He said, "It's just like slicing caterpillars in potions, Potter; even Crabbe and Goyle can do it most of the time."

            Harry snorted. Most of the time. He showed Draco how to put different spices and things on the potatoes after they were sliced and fry them in the pan over another fire. 

            Draco's sleeve caught fire when he was taking the eggs off to put on plates and to put it out, Harry shot him with a stream of water from his wand. Accidentally or on purpose (no one really knew which) a large portion of this water went directly to Draco's face.

            Draco sputtered, "What'd you do that for?"

            Harry shrugged. "Your robes were on fire. If I let you die, Dumbledore might never let us out of here."

            "Dumbledore, or Loony? Who's really calling the shots?" muttered Draco.

            "I don't know," Harry muttered in reply out of the side of his mouth.

            Next they took care of the bacon and toast. After that orange juice was squeezed and poured and everything was put onto plates and brought to the table. They both felt very accomplished: they'd gotten through cooking the meal without killing each other.

            They all sat and ate.

            "I think we should all talk about what we've learned in the past two days. Draco, do you want to go first?"

            Draco brushed a piece of wet hair off his forehead. "I learned Potter can't aim to save his life."

            "Harry?"

            "I learned that Malfoy should never be trusted with matches, that is, assuming he could figure out how to light them."

            "Terry?"

            "I learned that Ernie has a little sister named Midge."

            "Ernie?"

            "I learned that Terry likes to draw and he draws all those hilarious pictures that end up floating around the castle. Like that one called, 'The Amazing Bouncing Ferret'. I was laughing over that one for a week." Ernie tapped one of his eggs with his fork. "Er, guys? Is an egg supposed to click like this? I think you forgot to take the shell off."

            "Take it off yourself, you ingrate," retorted Malfoy and Harry at the same time, much to everyone's surprise.

            Luna had a number of other of her activities for them to do before lunch. There was a three-legged race (Harry and Ernie versus Draco and Terry). Harry and Ernie, since both of them played Quidditch, were in excellent shape. Had either of them been racing on their own, they would have easily won. Unfortunately they were both following their own beats and ended up tripping and falling. At first, Terry and Draco were having the same problem. Then they started working together just enough to beat Ernie and Harry. It gave Draco immense satisfaction to know that he beat Harry at something. He would have loved to dance around and scream, "In your face, Potter!" but a Malfoy simply did not do that sort of thing. Instead he just sneered at Harry and gave a simply, "Ha!"

            Harry glared at him and started telling Ernie off for not staying on the right footing.

            Ernie then started complaining that it was Harry who had been off.

            After a minute or so of bickering, Luna sent them both to timeouts. They were not happy at all.

            Luna let Ernie out when she wanted him and Terry to start lunch (of course _they_ got a list of instructions on out to cook). Harry was kept in his timeout while Luna talked quietly with Draco one-on-one.

            After lunch (which Terry and Ernie didn't burn too badly) Luna announced that they were going to spend the rest of the afternoon meditating and become relaxed. You see, during lunch, a food fight broke out. The meditating came after the 4 boys cleaned the cell thing they were in from top to bottom. Yoga mats had mysteriously appeared and they sat on those to mediate.

            Harry found the meditations to be a lot like the ones he did in his Legilimency training with Luna. Terry was quite relaxed and found himself in the Zen-like state he often reached when he was terribly engrossed in drawing. Ernie and Malfoy didn't relax quite as easily. Luna had to massage their shoulders and backs (Malfoy protesting quite a bit) until they couldn't help but become relaxed. She led them all through some deep breathing exercises, talked about harmony, and led them through some guided imagery.

            After meditating, Luna said it was time for trust exercises. 

            The boys groaned. Trust? Harry looked around and was sure that he would trust Malfoy as far as he could through him.

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So what did you think? This is longer than the last chapter and a quicker update. I'm trying to make these longer, I'm sorry I've been slow.


	69. Trust

**Disclaimer:** I don't own this. You know that. I know that. My stuffed bear knows that.

**Author's Note:** I'm so sorry. Did I mention I'm sorry? I just was completely unable to write on this story. But I think it's getting better. Please forgive me? Do you have me? Everybody has a reply here, like always, and it's in order from oldest review to newest. So if you had any questions or anything, check right there because I reply to everybody. I'm thankful for all your reviews! They make me smile. I'm so sorry it's been so long. Enjoy the chapter. It's longer than the last one.

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**Replies—**

**Lord of Darkness13—**Okay, I don't think there's going to be a face-to-face Voldy confrontation in this story. This is pretty much setting up mood and atmosphere at Hogwarts to try and reflect what's going on in the wizarding world and how it's affecting the students. It's not going to be all friendly and summer campy. Dumbledore's just attempting to make it that way. They might have to pretend that Dumbledore's little trick is working. But things are _not_ improving. Everything still very bad. People will still be fighting when they got out of their current situation at the end of the chapter, but they'll just tried to be a little more quiet about it.

**HYPERdingdong39—**Sorry it's taken so long to update this. I've been working on other stuff though. Like my UPLARS.

**Noddwyd—**Thanks. We did it at camp. No, not life or death. I wouldn't trust Draco not to kill Harry, or probably vice-versa either.

**Rini Sayian-jin—**Thanks. I love making people laugh! I'll try and get over and read your fic. I've got finals starting in like 2 weeks though so the teachers are trying to cram last minute information into our over-stuffed brains.

**Harryandginnyforever—**Thanks. I don't know how many chapters there will be. I usually don't tend to know because I only have as much done as I post (hence the long time between updates). Eventually Fortress will be updated, I have no clue when. Maybe when this is done. I barely even remember what's happening in Fortress at the moment. Sorry I didn't email you. Been busy. Did I ever email you back? I'm so tired I can't even remember right now.

**Kate Lupin Black**—Thanks. Yeah, well I'm pretty hopeless in the kitchen, so I understand his trouble. hehe. Hope you like this chapter.

**Padfootgurl—**Sorry it's taken so long to update. Again. I think it should go faster now. Thanks so much. I can't think of any other Harry/Luna fics at the moment, but there might be one or two in my favorites (I can't remember). I'll check the stuff I reviewed and see if I can find something.

**Hrei-siesn**—Glad you're back. :-D Hope you like this.

**FawkesFreak—**Thanks. I've been hinting D/H? I didn't think so…at least, I wasn't trying. Just Dumbledore's attempt to make them be friends. (A failed attempt it will be). Good luck writing. I don't think there will be a Voldy scene. I've got a great line planned for the end of this story as it is so I think I'll keep. This is kind of the preparing for battle year. I think 5 is a special number and since Harry "defied Voldemort 4 times" already, I think the 5th one will be the last one.

**SpiffyCool—**Thanks. I'm so glad you like it. Thanks for being patient, sorry about the slow updates.

**Corwin—**Back together? Luna and Harry never broke up. I don't think I've got the heart to break them up. Luna and Harry are definitely together.

**MissPadfoot003—**Glad you like this. Thanks so much. I've taken so long to update, you're probably allowed on the computer again! Yum, cookies! Oh right, I'm supposed to be uploading this now, aren't I? Sorry the update has taken forever.

**Zeromaru: Chaos Mode**—Yay! I was pretty proud of that line myself. It wasn't the fact that it was a massage from a cute girl that made him mad, it was that it was "Looney" Lovegood. Plus, I think he might have been a little scared that Harry would get jealous and attack him or something.

**Easilyamused—**Great penname. So am I. hehe. Yeah, I agree. Draco may be an evil little git, but he's not stupid. I wrote his Sorting, and I think the Hat might have considered him for Ravenclaw for a nanosecond before he demanded Slytherin or something.

**Michaela**—I love Lily and James stories. They're my latest obsession. I've got 2 in the works on this site, several short stories about them I've already finished and posted here, and some more I'm working on that I haven't posted.

**Jbfritz—**Thanks. Sorry it's been so long between updates.

**Anwyn—**Thanks. I tried to keep this in JKR's style. Glad to hear it worked. Don't worry, they aren't really getting along. This is Dumbledore's failing attempt at school unity. It'll only work enough to allow them all to return to their 4 houses before the fighting comes back full-force.

**Bookbug2000**—I was, but I think it's coming. Stupid writer's block was making it impossible to write anything about Harry. My works in progress for Lily/James are The Fashion Choices of Miss Evans, and Switched. I've also got some short story ones about them: A Lily in the Water, Romantic Candlelight Dinner, James's Bachelor Party, 1 Week 'Til Bells Ring, James's First Time...Changing A Diapers, Dirty Diapers, and Tonks Watch. Okay, some of those are Sirius, but they're all L/J. Hope you like them.

**Jake—**Thanks. Oops, no missing scene just a clumsy author mistake. He shouldn't have had his wand. I'll have to go back and fix that and write-in a bucket or something.

**Hufflepuff1324**—Thanks. Things are starting to get better again…I think. Hope you like this chapter.

**Iceflower**—Danke. (I think that's the right word for thanks, isn't it?) My chemistry teacher is German and he sometimes gets mad and starts shouting at us in it. Yeah, I'm from the USA. California actually. Sorry it's taken so long for me to update.

Jennyroseangel—Sorry it's taken so long for me to update. Hope you like this.

**Dnd4ever—**Hehe. A washing board. Wow that's…ancient. Hehe. Sorry, very hyper right now. Thanks for reviewing.

**dumbass1990**—Thanks.

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**Chapter 69: Trust**

The Yoga mats had vanished the moment they were distracted enough for everyone's gaze to leave the floor and in a spot where no one had been watching a bench appeared. The bench was a few feet high and just wide enough to stand on.

"Pair up please."

Harry went to Luna. "I choose you."

"No, no, I'm going to pair you up with…Draco. Yes, Harry and Draco and Terry and Ernie."

He'd seen this coming. They'd all seen this coming. Of course the two greatest enemies would be paired up. It was inevitable.

"Stand in the pairs I assigned you with one person in front and the other in back."

Harry and Draco fought over who got to stand in the front and Harry won.

He soon wished he hadn't.

"I want the person in front to fall and the person behind to catch them. This is about trust, so don't look back when you fall. On three? One, two, _three_."

Harry stood as stiff as a board. There was no way he was trusting Malfoy to catch him.

"There seem to be trust issues here," Luna said thoughtfully.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Draco said sarcastically.

"Don't talk to her like that," Harry snapped.

Luna seemed unperturbed by their remarks. "We're going to try this again. If you don't fall there will be consequences and you won't like them." Her light voice held a serious threat. The lighter her voice was, the worse the threat was.

Harry knew with every ounce of his being that it was a bad idea, but he did it anyway and fell backwards when Luna said "three". Harry hit the floor.

Luna gave Draco a sharp look. "I told you to catch him."

"I had to scratch my arm. Besides he looks heavy." He nudged Harry rather sharply with his foot.

"If you pull another stunt like that you _will_ regret it."

"Yes, I'm sure the snorkacks will get me," he said, rolling his eyes.

Terry and Ernie had decided to cooperate this time and now switched places.

"Again. One, two, three."

Harry fell backwards again, and again Malfoy didn't catch him.

Terry did catch Ernie however. The two of them had decided there was no point to arguing and it wouldn't get them out any faster. Since they passed the first trust test, they were permitted to go sit down.

It was nearly twenty minutes before Harry and Draco passed. Harry figured that Draco was trying to knock him unconscious by dropping him or failing to catch him.

It was time for the next exercise. "Now, it's time to see if after all this, I trust you," Luna said, dazedly. She climbed up on the four-foot high bench/bar. "I'm going to trust that the four of you, standing there, will catch me." Without any apparent hesitation, she fell backwards.

All four of them were gathered around the bench and in their shock, their natural reaction was to stick out their arms and catch her. Their arms caught her haphazardly, but she seemed at ease enough.

She sat up and got down. "Good. Now it's time for each of you to have a turn. Who wants to go first?"

"I'll go," volunteered Ernie.

Ernie climbed onto the bar and Harry, Luna, Terry, and Draco (reluctantly) clasped hands crisscrossed and their hands stayed together as Ernie fell back onto them with considerably more force than Luna had.

Terry was next and all went well with him.

Now it was Harry's turn.

Harry pulled Draco off to the side, "Look, as soon as we get through this we can go back to hating each other, but for now, don't mess this up and we'll get to leave sooner."

Malfoy clenched his teeth. "Deal. I can't stand much more of Loony Lovegood."

"You watch the way you talk about her."

"We'll settle _that_ later."

Harry climbed onto the bar and felt very uneasy. Was he just going to fall backward blindly? What if they didn't hold their hands together right and dropped him? What if they dropped him on purpose? He wasn't always the easiest guy to get along with and they weren't exactly his best friends. It was too late for any doubts. He was falling backwards for the longest 2 seconds of his life before he landed on the bridge of arms. He hadn't hit the floor. He sat up and slid off.

"Good, you boys trust each other. I think we've established a good base here."

The door swung open to reveal Professor Sprout. "Come, chaps, you're the last to finish, but that's no skin off my nose. Your things have already been moved into your new dormitories. Follow me."

The five rather confused students were led to what Harry soon recognized as the third floor corridor. Inside the space where Fluffy had once upon a time ago guarded the entrance to the path to find the Sorcerer's Stone was changed. There were couches and desks set up. Tables and chairs. A few game boards. It looked like a common room. In fact, it _was_ a common room now.

The space of the corridor that Fluffy had blocked from view when they'd come in first year branched off in two directions.

Professor Sprout explained, "Girls on the right. Boys on the left. Your class schedule will be posted on the bulletin board. These will be the living arrangements until further notice. You won't be permitted to leave this area until given permission by Dumbledore. Good behavior will be rewarded, but you can't earn any house points. Your classes will take place in this room as well."

"Where's everyone now?" asked Ernie.

"At dinner, straight through that door." She pointed at a door dead ahead that they had failed to notice. "Go in and eat."

"When do we get our wands back?" asked Draco.

"They are in that bucket by the door, but I wouldn't suggest trying to get them out. The bucket has been charmed so that you can't get your wand out of there without a teacher present and giving permission. Good evening." She left out the way they came in.

Draco, being Draco, tried unsuccessfully to open the door.

"You didn't honestly think we'd be able to get out. Did you?" scoffed Ernie.

"I'm famished," said Terry. "Let's get something to eat."

"Right," said Harry. "Where'd Luna go?" Then he saw that she was already halfway to where Professor Sprout said meals were served.

Not seeing any better option, Harry and the others followed.

As soon as they came in, they found a large circular table with the Head Boy, Head Girl, Prefects, and Quidditch captains sitting around it. Hermione glanced up from where she was eating next to Ron and saw Harry and ran to him. Ron got up and followed her.

Hermione threw her arms around him. "Harry, you're finally here! We were starting to think either you and Malfoy might have killed each other."

"Yeah, we were about to start wagering on your fate," Ron added, smiling and patting his friend on the back.

"Come eat with us," Hermione said, letting go of him.

The three of them walked over to the table and sat back down, while Luna, Terry, Ernie, and Draco all found seats of their own.

"So what's the set up here?" asked Harry.

"It's just like Dumbledore said in his office. Now that we've supposedly worked through the big issues, we're stuck together until we can really learn to get along. We'll have classes together, eat together, and share dormitories and a common room. We can't get out. We can't use our wands. We're practically prisoners," she said this all very matter-of-factly.

Ron shrugged. "It's true. There's only two dormitories. One for all the girls, and one for all the guys. We haven't had any lessons or anything yet since your group just got here. I'm not sure how those'll work out with people taking different N.E.W.T. classes and things and being different levels."

"I'm still trying to figure out how those rooms we were all locked up in worked. I think it was kind of like the room of requirement, but I know I didn't have any control," Harry said.

"I think it was a spell set up to give us what we _needed_, not what we _wanted_. Flitwick or Dumbledore must have done it. Like the room of requirement, but different."

"I think Luna was able to do things though," Harry said stubbornly. "I think she's in with Dumbledore on this whole thing. She was ordering us around, calling the shots, and putting us in timeouts."

Ron spit his drink out. "Timeouts?"

"Whenever somebody misbehaved. Honestly, she must have been in on it with Dumbledore. It can't be a coincidence that me, her, and Malfoy were all in the same room. It just can't."

As dinner ended, the group of twenty-something students migrated into the common room. Harry still didn't see how any of this was going to help. The Slytherins were still shunned by all three other houses and kept themselves apart and Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor were still being hostile toward the Slytherins.

Harry didn't see how things could possibly improve. But then again, he didn't see how things could get any worse. That is, he didn't see it until eight o'clock, when Dobby came in and said, "Sirs, and madams, Headmaster Dumbledore sir says lights out. Go to your dormitories."

"What if we're not tired?" asked Pansy, with a smirk.

"Lights out," Dobby said firmly. "Dumbledore says so!" All the lights in the common room went out, and the only remaining lights were those that led into the two dormitories.

"Goodnight, Hermione. Goodnight, Harry."

"Goodnight, Hermione. Goodnight, Ron."

"Goodnight, Harry. Goodnight, Ron." Hermione gave Harry a hug and tried to peck Ron on the cheek. In the near darkness she missed and got his mouth (which she didn't mind, of course).

Everyone shuffled off to their dorms. This would be a long night.

* * *

Hope you liked this. I swear I won't go so long between updates again. I just had now will to write and no idea what to write. I'm going to try to update all my stories equally and in order so this should be about every 4th or 5th update. Hope you like this. Thanks for your patience. Again, I'm so sorry for the long wait!


	70. New Arangment

**Disclaimer: **I still don't own this. I am very sad about that and will now go cry instead of posting the next chapter.

**Author's Note:** Hey, I'm still working on this. I swear I am, even if it seems like I'm abandoning it coughFORTRESSOFSHADOWScough Uh-huh, well, here's the next chapter, I would have posted sooner but I wanted it to be a longer chapter so here it is (2000 words!). **Important note: I am going away. **I'm off to go white water rafting with the fam for 3 days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). No computer access while on the trip. I don't know how I'll survive. Hopefully my email box will be flooded with reviews when I get back (hint, hint) and I can be motivated to update all my stories again.

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**Replies:**

**PhiloNysh**—Thanks so much!

**Drusilla W. L. Tonks**—(40) Yup, have to keep Harry miserable. Otherwise he just isn't Harry. (30) Yeah, mistletoe. Will any boy ever understand girls? (22) Thanks! That's just typical Ron isn't it? I swear I'm not sure how they managed to stay in Divination. Maybe Trelawny got Dumbledore to talk them into it. I'm not sure. (20) Thanks. Neville is one of my favorite characters. He has been for ages. (10) Thanks. Luna is one of my other favorite characters. I was going to take intro to psychology next year as my elective but I had a schedule conflict so I can't take it 'til senior year. (1) Thanks.

**Athena Dumbledore**—Thanks!

**Me222**—Glad you're back. I took a break for a while too and was writing Peter Pan stuff. Thanks. It's hard to find a Draco and Harry almost friends story; in most stories either they're trying to kill each other, end up being long lost brothers (no evidence for that), or are snogging each other senseless (again, no evidence). Thanks.

**I'm not the weakest link**—Thanks

**MissPadfoot003**—Grounded again? Hee, I've never been grounded. I just get my reading privileges taken away. It's not like I bother going anywhere most of the time. I'm trying to speed stuff up with the story and make things happen. The stuff with the 5 of them in the room dragged on for ages.

**Happynutcase**—Thanks. Got it, when (IF) I am famous I shall remember the happy nutcase who reviewed Harry Potter 6. :::grin::: I might have a shot if I could stick with any of my original stories. The only problem is that Harry Potter is so much more fun to write than my other stories. Artemis Fowl disclaimer? Oops. I'll have to go back and fix that.

**Fawkesfreak**—Thanks. I'm going to update Fortress of Shadows. I've got to go back, do a little rereading, and figure out where it's going. I might not end up working on it until Monday because my last final this week is on Friday and that gets over at 9:30, I'll be watching Prisoner of Azkaban at 9:45 (I bribed my brother to show up early and save me a seat), and then I'm off to go white water rafting with the fam for 3 days. No computer access while on the trip. I don't know how I'll survive.

**Easilyamused**—Thanks!

**Iceflower**—I can't remember what he said, but I just took my Chemistry final today, so I never have to have his class again. I'm so happy, I got a 102% on it. I didn't think it'd do that well. There were 57 questions, but he only counted it out of 50, so even though I missed 6 I still got more than a 100%! Sorry, really hyper right now. I like Artemis Fowl a lot. My Artemis Fowl stories have been a little deserted lately and I haven't worked much on the pictures for them either. Oh well, hopefully I'll be posting some new Harry Potter Pictures soon. I've got 2 of them that I just finished drawing. I love Lord of the Rings. It's so awesome. Thanks agagin.

**HYPERdingdong39—**Thanks. UPLARS stands for Uber-Platonic Lily And Remus Snippets. My latest series. :-)

**Jennyroseangel—**Thanks. I don't know if she was listening in or not. She is kinda creepy like that. I'm not sure anybody knows how much she really hears…

**Michaela**—Thanks. I'm inspiring somebody? Cool!

**Hrei-siesn—**Thanks for being honest. I know that chapter wasn't my best work. I just had to find some way to get them out of there. It was driving me absolutely up the wall because I couldn't make anything else happen until they left. I hope this chapter is better.

**Dnd4ever—**Thanks

**Athenakitty—**How much longer for what? Their punishments? Who knows? Probably about a week, but it could be longer. I'm seriously considering having somebody drop Draco on his head. It's not like he doesn't deserve it.

**Padfootgurl—**Thanks. Yeah, I'm actually kinda hyper right now too. I always seem to be hyper when it comes time to write these replies. Hmmmmmm…

**Zesuit—**Probably not completely. They might get close, and then one of them does something to ruin it. Hmm that'd be interesting. Now I've got to see if I can work it in. Thanks!

**Volleypickle16—**Thanks!

* * *

**Chapter 70: New Arrangement__**

Harry and Ron followed the other boys into the boys' dormitory. When they were all inside, the door locked and shut behind them. Candles illuminated the space. There were just over a dozen beds with a trunk at the end of each, and that was all. This was a hallway, but it'd been sealed off to turn it into a dormitory. A door at the end led to a bathroom and shower stalls.

Harry and Ron looked for their trunks, and Ron swapped places with Dylan so that he could be next to Harry. Similar swaps (and some outright takeovers) were occurring all over the room, and the end result was that all three of the Slytherins ended up in beds next to each other since no one wanted to be near them. Honestly, what if one of those bloody Pureblood elitist snobs tried to smother them with a pillow and kill them or something while they were asleep? Harry was sure that this was not what Dumbledore wanted, but that was just too bad. Harry, Ron, and the guys on either side of them thought about setting up a watch force against the Slytherins, but they were too tired and decided to just go to bed. Besides, the Slytherins were outnumbered. There were only 3 of them.

Harry looked through his trunk. At this point, Harry wouldn't be surprised if Dumbledore had confiscated some of his things. Thankfully, nothing had been touched. His robes and everything else were just piled into his trunk. The map, invisibility cloak, and mirror were at the bottom where he'd left them. He carefully concealed them so no one else would find them. He decided that when this was all over and he was allowed to use his wand again, he was going to find out how to create a hidden compartment and keep that stuff in it.

Everyone was changing into their pajamas and Harry did the same and fell asleep.

Harry woke up and realized that the dorm was more noisy than usual. Several people were snoring; even Neville couldn't make a racket like that. And there were a lot of voices. Harry sat up and put his glasses back on. The first thing he noticed was that there were no curtains around his bed. Then he noticed that there were way too many beds in the room.

The worst of the snoring seemed to be coming from one of the beds in the corner. Harry saw that that's where Malfoy was still asleep. He was snoring like a mountain troll.

He saw that most of the other people were getting up and getting ready and supposed he ought to do the same. After all that time in that cube of a room with Luna, Terry, Ernie, and Malfoy, Harry needed a shower. He grabbed clothes out of his trunk and went into the bathroom. There were 5 shower stalls, 3 sinks, and 3 toilet stalls. Harry went in one and took his shower. He got dressed before coming out and saw lots of people at the sink. Some were brushing their teeth, others were combing their hair in the mirror. Draco was at the mirror now, brushing his hair until it was nice and shiny.

Harry towel-dried his hair and brushed his teeth, ignoring Draco. He went back to dormitory and found Ron waiting. "Let's go. Hermione's probably waiting," Ron said.

"Yeah. Do you think we need any books?"

"We're going to breakfast. It's not like usual when it's 3 day long trip from the dormitory to class. We're not allowed to leave this area."

"Right."

Hermione was in their new common room and the three of them went into the hall for breakfast. Hermione was in a foul mood and it took some prying to get her to admit why.

"Parkinson said that I snore," Hermione whispered furiously.

"You can't be worse than Malfoy. I swear he was louder than the Hogwarts Express," Ron said, _trying_ to make Hermione feel better.

Hermione only looked madder. "The point is I _don't_ snore. If I did, Ginny would have told me. Right, Ginny?" she said turning to Ron's sister.

Ginny looked a little nervous. "Just a little, Hermione. Not loud or anything."

"Why didn't you tell me this before? I probably could have found a spell that would fix it. Now who knows when I'll be allowed to leave here and go to the library!" fumed Hermione.

"It's not that big a deal, Herms," Harry said, putting some bacon on his plate.

"It's a big deal that no one told me before. I thought you were all me friends," she said angrily.

Ron rolled his eyes at her. "Hermione, we are your friends. But honestly, how are Harry and I supposed to know that you snore?"

"That's not the point," Hermione snapped. She ignored them all for the rest of the meal.

Harry noticed a sign on the wall that said, "When you have finished eating, remain in your seats." Also on the wall was the portrait of Sir Cadogan. "Look what nut job is back," Harry muttered to Ron, gesturing at the portrait.

"Not him again!" moaned Ron.

They watched as Sir Cadogan tried to mount his horse and fell down. Several times.

Terry came over and sat on Harry's other side. "Morning."

"Morning." They both left off the "good" part of "good morning" knowing that it probably would not be a very good day.

By nine o'clock everyone had eaten and was waiting inside the dining room. Professor Flitwick came in. "The teachers have divided our free time into teaching you. These are your new schedules," he said, passing out parchment. "This only covers this week, but depending on your actions, and the actions of the rest of the school that time can be expanded indefinitely. Some of the times may be a little odd, but since you will not be with the rest of your class, the teachers had to fit you in when they could."

Harry looked at his schedule. Today he had Charms from 12:00-12:45; Potions 4:15-5:00; and Transfiguration would be 9:00-9:45. He took a glance at his overall schedule.

**MONDAY**

_Charms _12:00-12:45 p.m.  
_Potions _4:15-5:00 p.m.  
_Transfiguration _9:00-9:45 p.m.

**TUESDAY**

_Defense _6:15-7:00 a.m.  
_Herbology _10:15-11:00 a.m.  
___Divination _8:20-9:05 p.m.

**WEDNESDAY**

_Transfiguration _7:00-7:45 a.m.  
_Charms _3:15-4:00 p.m.  
_Creatures _5:45-6:30 p.m.

**THURSDAY**

_Herbology _8:30-9:15  
_Potions _9:30-10:15  
_Defense _11:15-12:00 a.m.

**FRIDAY**

_Creatures _2:15-3:00 p.m.  
_Divination _4:00-4:45 p.m  
_Discussion _5:15-6:00 p.m.

Terry asked, looking over at Harry's schedule, "How did you get into Divination, anyway?"

"Trelawny said that I 'defied the odds, gods, and fate' by staying alive so long. She practically begged Dumbledore to make me take the class. The truth is, I didn't even get an A on my O.W.L. for her class. I think I got a P. Or maybe it was T…" he mused.

"What's it mean here by 'Discussion'?" asked Ron.

"I don't know."

"Look at when we've got Defense Against the Dark Arts. I can't believe this. Six in the morning and midnight."

"I bet she did that just to torture us. You know that?"

"Probably did."

Professor Flitwick started talking again, "All your classes will be conducted in this room. When you are not in class, you may in your common or in your dormitories."

"Why are our classes only half as long as they usually are?" asked Hermione, after raising her hand.

"Because, with only about 8 of you in each class, each teacher can give you more individual attention and you can get through your lessons more quickly. Fifth years, please get your Charms books and return, I've brought you wands. Lunch will be served at eleven. Everyone else, dismissed."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione took over one of the large armchairs. Hermione sat comfortably on the seat, while Ron and Harry each took an arm (by now she had forgiven them for the snoring comments). They sat for a few minutes, bored out of their minds and not really feeling like talking. Then Ron spotted a deck of cards on one of the tables across the room. "Anybody up for a game of poker?" he asked, getting up and getting the cards.

"I'm in," Harry offered.

"Me too," said Terry, hearing Ron's suggestion.

The other Ravenclaw Prefect, Padma Patil, got up, "I'll join."

"I suppose I will too," Hermione said grudgingly.

"What are we going to use to bet with?" asked Ernie, sitting down in an empty spot in the circle that was forming around Hermione's chair.

Hermione took a folded piece of paper out of her pocket and started folding it and tearing it into pieces. When she had 30 of them, she passed five out to each person.

"We need more than that," Ernie said.

"Fine." Hermione shredded another piece of parchment and soon everyone had 10 pieces. Let's play."

Ron shuffled the cards. "Alright, but I'm the dealer."

By the time the 5th years came out of their Charms lesson, they'd gone through several rounds of the game and Hermione had about 20 pieces of paper in front of her.

Padma wasn't far behind her with 17.

Ron had teamed up and had together 12.

Harry had 9 and was grateful not to be in last place.

Ernie was dead last with only 3 pieces. He just didn't know how to keep a straight face when he looked at his cards.

When the fifth years came out, there was only about 15 minutes before lunch was supposed to start.

"Why are we eating at eleven? I'm not even hungry yet," Hermione said.

"I'm starved," Ron said, shuffling the cards again.

Ginny, coming over, retorted, "You're always hungry, Ron. You're like a bottomless pit."

"So?" he asked, dealing out the last of the cards.

"Deal me in," Ginny said, sitting next to Hermione.

"No, sorry I already dealt all the cards," he told her.

"You just don't want me to play."

After lunch (brought by Dobby and another House-Elf) the sixth years had Charms. Professor Flitwick had come back. Dobby had dismissed the fifth and seventh years while they waited for Flitwick, and now Flitwick was ready to give the lessons. He had the container holding their wands, but didn't let them take their wands out until after they'd gone through the lesson and were ready to test their hearing charms. The charms enhanced hearing so that you could hear a pin drop from the other side of the room even with 3 people talking.

Some people tried to sneak their wands out of the room, but Professor Flitwick caught all of them and managed to get all the wands back inside the spell-proofed container.

When the lesson was over, Professor Flitwick packed up his things and Professor McGonagall came in for the NEWT Transfiguration class for the seventh years.

Harry asked her, as the rest of the 6 years were filing out, "How long do we have to stay here?"

"Until you have all learned to behaving properly. The other teachers and I are ashamed of your actions."

"What did I do?"

"Your actions as a whole class and a school, though I'm sure you caused your own mischief as well. Grow up, and perhaps all of you will be treated as adults. Until then, think of your stay here as an extended time out." Minerva realized that she immediately regretted tell him to "grow up" considering he had to deal with so many more adult things than the other children his age, but the truth was he did need to act more mature sometimes.

"Can you at least get a message to the D.A. and the Gryffindor Quidditch team for me?" he asked.

"Just this once," she said irritably.

"Tell the team—"

"Mr. Potter, the Hogwarts Quidditch season has been canceled. No practice will be permitted."

"Oh. I forgot." He bit his lip. "Tell Neville that he should keep running the D.A. meetings." Neville! That gave him an idea. "Er, tell him to look in the mirror every once in a while."

"Mirror?" she asked, a little bewildered.

"Please?"  
"Alright, Mr. Potter. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have classes to teach and you have some lessons to learn. I want you to go out there and at least _try_ to get along with the Slytherins."

Harry realized they probably weren't supposed to be sending messages to the rest of the castle and decided not to press his luck. He gave a nod and left. The mirror. It might just work.

* * *

What did you think? I had the schedule in a lovely little chart, but it undid the whole thing when I uploaded it. Oh well. You know the drill. In all likelyhood I won't be posting again until Monday. Hopefully I'll have a chapter ready by then.


	71. Twisted

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter and I don't own any board games.

**Author's Note:** Sorry I haven't updated in so long! I'm so horrible. I kept going out of town and then the play came up and then I got horrible writer's block with this story and felt like it was never going to end. Please forgive me. I'm so sorry! This is a good long chapter, 3000 words.

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**Replies:**

**Kirk4ever**—Thanks. The philosophy is all me.

**Some person**—I'm very sorry I didn't update sooner. Forgive me?

**Right-claw**—Thanks. Luna keeps getting weirder, I'm trying to make her less powerful.

**Briana Edwards**—They need to but they're not there yet. Gryffindors are as stubborn as Slytherins, you know. Thanks. I had trouble with this chapter, but today it really got going and so I wrote almost the whole thing today. Ginny/Neville and Lily/James I like too. I wrote a Ginny/Neville songfic and I'm working on a full length story on them. Anything on my favorites list is worth reading. Some of the really good ones are Harry Potter and the Black Owl (by Qwest), A Walk in Your Shoes (by Spirit007), Midnight Musings (by Frankie Beeblebrox), A Trick of Time (can't remember the author, but really good) ,and Faith in a Number (by Emyln).

**Lindsey-31**—Thanks! I like Harry/Luna a lot.

**Faith—**Sorry it took so long for me to update. Thanks.

**Zephdae**—Thanks, I'm glad to know you like the story enough. I'm trying to work on my narration, I'm just usually more of a dialog person when it comes to writing. Tolkien is the master of fantasy writing of course, unmatchable. Thanks so much! When I finish I'm going to go back and fix spelling mistakes and chaptering.

**Sadfru**—If you review again, please, please watch your language. I'm Christian and don't take the Lord's name lightly and don't like cussing. That said, I'm working on fixing Luna. I kinda maimed her character at the beginning of the story. As for Harry, he's not whipped. That's pretty much how I treat my boyfriend. He's not "playing nice". He was pretty angry I thought, especially in the beginning.

**Visitor**—I'm sorry I haven't updated in so long, but if I don't know what to write, then I can't write it. That's all there is to it.

**Lord Ravenclaw**—Thanks. Sorry the chapters aren't longer. Sometimes it's so long between updates that I'd rather just get the chapter up than wait for it to get longer.

**Corwin**—Thanks. Sorry it's been so long since an update.

**Jennyroseangel**—Thanks. My holiday was great. Fortress of Shadow…eek. I'll get back to that. I just don't know when. As soon as I figure out what to write, I'll post the next chapter.

**Stephanie**—Thanks! Hehe. I figure if you make people have to be with each other long enough, they'll scream, they'll shout, and just maybe work things out. Hehe. The mirror thing was kind of on accident to tell you the truth. I remembered that the I mentioned the mirror in the beginning of the chapter, and from there it kind of just fell into place.

**Possom2009**—Wow! Thanks so much!

**PhiloNysh**—Thanks. In chapter 3 or 4 (I think) in this fic Remus fixed the mirror for Harry and it did work again. Sorry the update took so long.

**Katie Lupin Black**—That stinks about not having your internet hooked up for ten days. I went out of the country: no internet for 2 weeks. And I'd been at summer camp for a week before that. Almost three weeks straight with no internet. The mirror was an accident. Not really planned. I kind of forget about things for a while until they manage to pop up again. Thanks.

**Professor D. S. Silvers**—Reviews are never annoying! Thanks. Did I review "The Mudblood Slytherin" yet? I can't remember and I don't see it there now.

**Phoenixdreams**—Thanks. I have no idea. Sometimes it feels like this story is never going to end…

**Celia Abbott**—Thanks!

**Dnd4ever**—Thanks. Ron and Terry. I mention to fix that and forgot. Sorry.

**Serious Prankster—**Thanks, Teila. Cool name.

**HYPERdingdong39**—Thanks. I think UPLARS are well worth reading, but I'm a little biased there.

**Hrei-siesn**—I didn't think of him getting caught! Could be useful to add…

**Fawkesfreak**—Thanks so much!

**MissPadfoot003**—Yay! You're ungrounded! The trip was great, but I didn't have much time for writing.

**Dark Luna**—Thanks! Hehe, I could see Draco as being gross and drooling and snoring while he's asleep. Hehe.

**Padfootgurl**—Thanks! I didn't think about it either. I forgot about it honestly until I wrote it. Then I remembered. Wow, I don't think I make any sense.

**Easilyamused—**Thanks! Sorry about the long time between updates.

**Me262—**Thanks. That's what I ended up having to do. Argh, editing. The 26 Prefects, Heads, Quidditch Captains, are forced to be separated from the rest of the school. White water rafting was great!

**OofTheLivingDead—**Thanks!

**Athenakitty**—That's a great idea! I so might have to use that if it's okay with you. You have no idea how hard I'm laughing right now. I can SO see Ron borrowing Hogwarts: A History from Hermione and chucking it at Draco's head!

**Volleypickle16**—Thanks! Sorry it's been so long since I've updated.

* * *

**Chapter 71: Twisted**

* * *

Harry gathered Ron, Hermione, and Ginny together and grinned at them. "I've got a plan." He lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "I know how we can contact people outside the school."

"How?"

"The mirror."

"Didn't Neville give you back the second mirror so we could use it for the D.A.?"

"He did, but I convinced McGonagall to deliver a message for me. She's going to tell him to look in the mirror everyone once in a while."

"She agreed to deliver the message?"

"Well, she had no idea what I meant when I said it. It's perfect."

"Are you sure?"

"What if someone sees the mirror?"

"Look," Harry said, exasperated. "It's a chance we'll have to take. I'll just have to keep trying him on the mirror until we reach him."

"What's reaching him going to do?" asked Ron. "He can't get us out of here. Well, probably not anyway."

"Harry, if we don't have anything to say to him, then we're right back where we started."

"Well, maybe he can tell us what's going on out there then," said Harry stubbornly. The mirror was a brilliant idea; he just had to think of how to use it. How had Sirius and his dad used the mirrors? Oh, right. To talk from separate detentions. Big help. "I'll worry about what to say after I manage to contact him. Somebody come find me when it's time for Potions."

"But, Harry, where are you going to go where somebody won't find the mirror?"

Harry bit his lip. It was true; there was probably going to be a lot of guys in the dormitory right now. Anybody who didn't have class and was avoiding the common room would be there. Suddenly he was struck with an idea. His brain was sure coming in handy today. "Don't worry about it."

He left his friends and went into the boys' dormitory. He rummaged through his trunk and grabbed the mirror (after carefully wrapping it with clothes). He went into the bathroom and went into one of the shower stalls. He turned on the water, full-blast, and shut the door. He stood in the changing area of the stall, outside the shower part and took out the mirror. He was fairly confident that no one would hear him over the shower. "Neville? Neville? Neville? Neville Longbottom? I need to speak to Neville Longbottom. Neville. Neville. Neville. Neville?" The mirror didn't change and he stayed in there for nearly an hour, trying to contact Neville. Maybe McGonagall hadn't talked to him yet. Harry tried one more time. "Neville, are you there? If you're there, take the bloody mirror out of your pocket!" he said in frustration. There was still no answer. He sighed. So much for his brilliant plan. He would just have to try again later. He knew it'd look a bit suspicious to spend an hour in the shower and come out completely dry when they had no wand access and no way to immediately dry hair, so he stuck his head in under jet of water and pulled it back out. He stuffed the mirror back in the pile of spare robes he'd brought in with him and left.

Draco Malfoy was standing in front of the mirror.

"What are you doing, Malfoy?" asked Harry.

"What does it look like? I'm trying to get my hair to lie straight. Otherwise it'll look like _yours_," he retorted.

"Oh, you mean your hair isn't naturally stuck to your head?" Harry asked innocently.

"Shut your trap, Potter, or you'll be in so much pain."

"You can't inflict much pain without your wand or your buddies, and right now you don't have either."

"Potter, if it came to a fistfight, there's no doubt who'd win. You're such a scrawny little twig of a thing, even Pansy could snap you in half."

"Unlike you, Mr. Pampered-and-spoiled-brat-who's-never-had-to-lift-a-finger-in-his-life, I've got a good right punch and plenty of experience with guys _can_ fight, and don't just shoot there's mouths off like you do."

They kept the banter up for a good ten minutes. With things the way they were now, they couldn't risk a real fight, but this allowed both of them to vent their emotions just a little.

Eventually, their banter ended when Draco scoffed, "I've got more important things to worry about."

Harry gave one parting shot from the doorway, "Yes. I know just how hard you're trying to get your hair to look like Snape's. And really, you're just doing such a darn good job of it!" he said in a much too cheery voice. He ducked out of the room just before Draco's hairbrush hit the spot on the wall where Harry's head had been less than a second before.

Harry stuffed the mirror and the spare robes back into his trunk and lay on his bed for a while. A couple of the other boys where in there, talking, but Harry ignored them. He need a plan. Brains had never been his strongest attribute. That was Hermione's job. Harry was the impulsive one, Ron was the stubborn but loyal one, and Hermione was the brains. That's how they operated. That's how it had always been. But of course now, there was nothing left to do but sit and wait for McGonagall to get the message to Neville.

Maybe he should go back out there and they could all play poker again. No, he really didn't feel like losing at the moment.

He needed something to do. Maybe he could go find Luna. She'd be interesting to talk to. She'd kind of been avoiding him since yesterday anyway.

He sat up and went to go look for Luna. Out in the common room, he saw Ginny, Ron, and Hermione chatting.

"Have you guys seen Luna?"

"No. If you don't see her out here, then she's probably in the girls' dormitory. Did you have any luck reaching Neville?"

"No. I'm going to try again later." Harry didn't waste anymore time and knocked on the door to the girls' dormitory."

"What do you want, whoever you are?" called Pansy's shrill voice.

"Ask Luna to come out here," Harry said through the door.

"No," Pansy answered back.

"Typical Slytherin," muttered Harry. He hammered on the door. "Luna! Could you come here for a minute? Luna! Luna! Luna!"

About five minutes later, a dazed looking Luna was pushed out of the room by two other girls sick of hearing Harry hammer on the door.

"Yes, Harry?" she asked.

"Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine."

"I need some help…"

"With what?"

"I think I found a way to contact people in the rest of Hogwarts, but I don't know what to say."

"Aren't we supposed to be separated from then?"

"Yes," he said impatiently. "What's your point?"

"Doing as we're told will get us out of here faster."

"Is that all you've got to say when I come to you for help?"

She looked at him evenly. "I just helped you. Figure it out for yourself."

"A lot of help you are."

"You're welcome," she said, ignoring his sarcasm.

Harry went back over to Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. "Luna was no help whatsoever."

Ron muttered, "What else is new?"

Harry ignored him, and instead turned to Ginny and Hermione. "What are we going to do?"

"I suggest we find some way to occupy our time," Hermione said.

"Homework?" groaned Ron.

"Did you forget already? Flitwick didn't assign any," Hermione sniffed. "After all, we can't practice the spell outside of lessons and we can't research essays in the library."

"Then what is there to do?" asked Ron.

"I already spoke to Professor Flitwick to ask if I could be brought something to read from the library. He said that we weren't allowed any reading material other than textbooks because we're supposed to be promoting inter-house unity and reading is a solitary activity."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"What it _means_, Ron," continued Hermione, "is that the teachers want us playing games like the old Muggle board games that are around the common room here so that we're playing in groups out of sheer boredom because there's nothing else to do."

"What sort of games do we have?" asked Harry.

"Checkers. Monopoly. Chess. Twister. Cl—"

"Chess! I'll play. Who wants to go a round with me?"

"I will," volunteered Ginny.

"Prepare to lose," said Ron. He looked around the room for the Chess set and spotted it, bringing the box over. He dumped out the pieces on the floor and put the board next to them. "Move. C'mon, get in position so we can start. Move it!"

"Ron, that's a _Muggle_ Chess set. You have to set it up and move the pieces yourself. They don't move on their own."

"That's lame."

"Just play. It's all the same rules," Hermione said, rolling her eyes.

Ron and Ginny tried to play, but Ron turned the board over in frustration about three moves in. "It's just not the same without the pieces moving. This is _boring_."

"Ron, that's no call to go and upset the pieces like that," chided Hermione.

"I'll picked them up, Herms," said Ginny, wanting to avoid a fight between her brother and Hermione.

Later that night, when all their classes and dinner were done, they were having the same problem again.

"I'm bored."

"Me too."

There was a pause, and then…

"I'm still bored," said Ron, in almost a whine. "I wish we could just get rid of the Slytherins a—" Ron started. He stopped at a withering glare from Hermione.

After about five minutes of nothing, Hermione said, "I've got an idea. Let's rediscover the long lost art of conversation."

"What?"

"She means let's talk, lame brain," Ginny told her brother irately. She muttered something about him having the IQ of a troll.

"There's nothing to talk about. We woke up, went to meals together, went to classes together, and sat around all day being bored."

"Just great," Ron said bitterly. "We don't have homework, but we can't have fun either."

Harry looked around glumly. It wasn't even seven yet. What could they do? T hen he saw. A game pushed to the back of the shelf. Perfect. It should lighten things up considerably. Now, if only they could find someone to spin. He came back over to his friends. "I've got a game. You might want to put pants on instead of your robes though," Harry added.

Hermione blinked at him, as if to ask why, then she saw the box. "You're right. Come on, Gin. Let's go put our pajamas on."

"What are we going to play?" Ron asked, wondering why the girls had to change their clothes.

"Just a game. You'll see. We probably ought to put pants on too." Harry and Ron went back into their dorm and put sweats on. When they came back out, the girls were waiting. Hermione had pulled her hair back into a ponytail so it wouldn't get in her face. She looked up at Harry.

"Normally my friends back home would have to twist my arm to get me to play this game, but I think it's a good idea tonight," she said.

"Yeah," said Harry. "I don't think I've ever played this. But I have seen Dudley and his friends play."

Hermione shuddered at the mental image. "That must be scary."

"Care to enlighten us?" asked Ginny.

"Sure. We need somebody to be the spinner though."

Ginny volunteered.

Harry and Hermione set up the mat and handed the spinner to Ginny. "Here, spin the arrow and call out what it lands on."

Ron, Hermione, and Harry each took separate sides of the mat and Hermione explained the rules to Ron.

Ginny made the first call. "Right hand green."

They all put their right hand on a green circle.

"What's so challenging about this?" asked Ron.

"You'll see," said Hermione.

"Call the next one, Gin," Harry told her.

"Left foot blue."

It went on from there. "Right foot yellow. Left hand green. Right foot red. Right hand green. Left foot yellow. Right foot blue."

It got more difficult as they went along and got more and more tangled. Ron, being long-limbed, was at something of an advantage, but he lacked the flexibility that would have made him a better player.

The 5th year Ravenclaw boy Prefect came over. He was a Muggle-born. "Twister! Can I play?"

"Do you mind taking a turn at spinning?" asked Ginny. She felt lonely sitting on the sidelines and wanted to get in on the game.

"No problem," he grinned.

"Thanks, Jake." She gave him a smile, took off her shoes, and waited for the next call.

"Left hand red!" called Jake. "Right foot yellow! Left foot green! Right hand red!"

Harry was getting tired. Then again, so were Ron and Hermione.

"Right foot red! Left hand yellow! Right hand yellow! Left foot red! Left hand blue! Right hand red! Left hand red!"

Now, with everything on red, they were so spread out and tangled up, that they couldn't stand anymore. Harry felt is arm going weak, and they all collapsed in a giant, laughing knot.

Of course, such a ruckus attracted a few curious onlookers and somebody else took the spinner. Jake joined the game. Harry told the others that he'd be back in a moment and went to the portrait of Sir Cadogan in the meal/class room. "Sir Cadogan! Sir Cadogan! Can you call Dobby up?"

"Dobby? Who be that Dobby of which you speak, ye rascal?"

"Dobby's a house-elf. Go get him. Please? Tell him Harry Potter wants to see him. And have him bring water."

"A quest! I'll return with all due haste!" And he ran out of the painting, tripping over the frame on his way out.

Harry grinned. Perfect. Dobby'd be on his way soon. Harry knew they'd need a bigger mat with more people playing.

When he went back out to the game, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Jake, and Ernie were playing. A few more were looking on curiously.

He'd been right about a bigger mat being needed. He rejoined the game, but they were only three turns in (since his coming back) when the whole pile of them fell and had to start over.

By the time Dobby got to them all, 9 people were on the mat, 1 was spinning, and 5 were watching. The Head Boy and Head Girl were playing Battleship. 3 other students were playing Clue. All 6 Slytherins pointedly ignored the game of Twister and sat off into a corner by themselves. No one cared that they didn't want to play.

With 9 people on it, the mat was just two crowded. They couldn't get more than a few moves in without everyone falling.

They were all glad when Dobby arrived with a pitcher of water, glasses, and magic. "Harry Potter sir, Dobby has come."

"Thanks, Dobby," Harry panted, gulping a glass of water.

"What does Harry Potter sir need?"

"Could you make this mat bigger?" he asked, waving a hand at the plastic mat.

"Easily done! Anything else?"

An idea crossed Harry's mind and he whispered it to Dobby.

Dobby nodded and grinned up at him. First he worked his magic on the mat (after clearing everyone off it). Then he bewitched the spinner. He sent the former spinning person and the five who were watching out onto the map with everyone else. "Left knee purple!" squeaked Dobby.

Ron turned to Harry. "Did the rules change? There wasn't any purple before. Or knees."

"Look at the mat. Dobby does good work when he isn't trying to save somebody's life," grinned Harry.

The game really got going in full swing, the crazier it got, the more fun it was. "Right hand teal! Head brown! Left foot green! Right shoulder yellow!"

They were rather precariously placed, most of them feeling as though they were about to fall, when Dumbledore entered. Harry's head was between Ginny's arms. Hermione's right leg was under Harry's left leg so she could have her knee on purple. Ron was draped over Luna to get his head on teal. Luna's arm was around Jake's foot to get her right hand on orange. Similar chaos ruled over the rest of the mat.

Dumbledore came in and saw what was going on, and laughed. That laugh was enough to make the entire tangled web collapse. But not before Dobby took a picture. They all laughed for a minute, before someone realized the Headmaster was there, and they all started _trying _to get up.

"So, what's going on here?" asked Professor Dumbledore.

"Sir," Harry said, trying not to laugh. He desperately hoped the Headmaster's mood had improved. It sounded as though it had. "We're just practicing some inter-house unity."

Dumbledore looked around. "Not a very complete job of it, though, I see."

"Why? Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws. That's 3 houses."

Dumbledore looked sadly at him. "But there are _4_ houses at this school."

Harry looked around. All the Slytherins were still sitting off by themselves. "That's not our fault. The game was welcome to anybody who wanted to play." He turned desperately back to look at Ron, Hermione, and the others.

The people behind him gave replies in the affirmative.

"It doesn't matter. Until you're all one group, you shall remain here. That includes Slytherins."

"But— "

"All of you are the student leaders of this school and must set a standard of cooperation for the others to follow. I simply came in to bid you all goodnight." Professor Dumbledore nodded once and left.

Harry groaned in frustration. He'd been hoping such a display of group spirit would not only alleviate their boredom, but maybe get them out of this place too. Apparently not. He went to Ron and Hermione. "I'm going to go try the mirror again."

"Good luck," Ron said, clapping him on the back.

"I'll see you in the morning, Harry," Hermione said, with an encouraging smile.

Harry slipped away, back into the boys' dormitory. Unnoticed, he was followed.

Harry grabbed the mirror out of his trunk and sat on the bed. "Ne—"

"What on Earth are you doing, Potty?" drawled Draco from the doorway.

"What does it look like I'm doing, Ferret?" Harry said irately.

"Looking in the mirror. I'm surprised it hasn't broken yet. Though I suppose even with seven years bad luck your life can't get much worse. Doesn't look like you're Dumbledore's golden boy anymore," he said in mock-sympathy. "Your hair looks horrendous." He self-consciously smoothed back his own hair.

"I was just about to say that I never looked better."

Draco snorted. "What sort of charmed mirror are you looking into?"

"What do you mean?"

"It'd need a powerful spell on it to make you look like anything but a monkey."

"That's not nice. If you're going to draw comparisons between primates, you should start with those gorilla friends of yours."

Draco glared at him.

"Why didn't you Slytherin idiots join our stupid game?"

"My clothes would get wrinkled. Besides, that game wasn't just stupid. It was utterly pointless."

Harry looked for the nearest thing to throw at him and picked his shoe. It narrowly missed Draco's head and bounced off the wall to hit him in the back. "If you lot wouldn't have been so arrogant and would have played our pointless game, maybe Dumbledore would have let us out of here."

"We can figure a way out of here ourselves," he said coldly. "Slytherins don't need anyone's help." With that, he slammed the door and walked out.

Harry leaned back on his bed and smothered his face with his pillow to stifle his scream. _That_ attitude is what had gotten them all into this mess in the first place. It was too twisted; he finally understood why Dumbledore was so upset about the houses fighting. He wanted to strangle Malfoy. He took out the mirror again. "Neville, Neville, Neville. Neville Longbottom, pick up the mirror."

No answer.

Harry sighed and rolled over and went to sleep. It was going to be a long week.


	72. Scheming

**Disclaimer: **I still own nothing.

**Author's Note:** Sorry it's been so long. I've been insanely inspired on basically every story but this one and Conversations with a Hat. But things are rolling again and I know where the next chapter is going. Some quick replies and then the chapter.

**Aurawn, Smallfrie16, Justin-Bond, Jennyroseangel, idiot with reason, Stephanie, DarkLuna, Zesuit**—Thanks so much everbybody!

**FawkesFreak**—Thanks. I went back and fixed it. I did start working on the next chapter of Fortress finally but it's been so long that I'm going to have to look at the story and see where it's going again.

**Zephdae**—Thanks. I'm trying to get Luna all settled again. How she came by her potions abilities, I don't know yet, but the Legilimency-Occlumency I've got a better grasp on. I think that the more unfocused she seems, the more focused she really is. It's a defense thing. That's part of it, I'm still working on the rest.

**Anthony Hotchkiss**—I didn't forget the liked each other. But Luna is…Luna. She doesn't have to be lovey-dovey to still be dating him and still care about him. She just has to exist with him as a calming, peaceful force.

**Dnd4ever**—That was an error. I think I corrected it.

**Katie Lupin Black**—Manhunt sounds awesome. I've never played it. I don't exactly know how my story is supposed to end. Typically, I never do. I just set my fingers to going and let the characters say what's next.

* * *

**Chapter 72: Scheming

* * *

**

Harry woke up in the same crowded "dormitory" again. He'd hoped it would all be some horrible dream. But it wasn't. Ugh, what was that pounding noise?

"Sixth years get out now before I'm forced to come in there!" The pounding continued.

Harry groggily recognized the voice of his Defensense Against the Dark Arts teacher and looked over at the clock on the wall. 6:16. In the morning. What on earth was she doing there?

"You're all late for class!"

Harry sat up and was just about to rummage in his trunk for something to wear when the door was thrown open.

There stood Professor Delano. She did not look happy. Her frown could rival McGonagall's. She walked through the room, plucking the blankets off the sixth years and commanding, "Follow me!"

Harry and the other sixth year boys (all still in their pajamas), followed her out of the dormitory and into the classroom.

"Wait here, I'll be right back." She slammed the door behind her and went to go get the girls.

"Am I even in this class?" asked Malfoy, yawning.

"Who cares?" muttered the irate Hufflepuff.

The girls came into the room in a line similar to the boys; they also were still in their nightclothes.

"In the future you will all be on time to you lessons," Delano said sharply. "Sit."

"What about breakfast?" asked Ron.

"Lesson first. Then breakfast."

There was a general groan from the students.

"Today, we are going to be focusing on Freezing Spells and had to deflect them. Does anyone know the difference between a Stunning Curse, a Petrifying Jinx, and Freezing Hex? Anyone?" She proceeded with her explanations, throwing things at students who looked like they were falling asleep. She picked Malfoy up by his ear when she heard him snore.

Then she started demonstrating the Freezing Hex, using random students. After the demonstrations, she taught everyone how to deflect the spell before she started hexing them again.

All the students were in a foul mood by the time Delano left the classroom and breakfast, as well as the rest of the students, came in.

* * *

The next day, the Slytherins and the other three houses were still avoiding each other like the plague and Harry had only reached Neville on the mirror once. Neville had started to say that the tension was getting worse, though there'd been no more outright violence, and then he had to leave immediately. He had to reach him again. He had to convince Neville to get the students outside to start cooperating with the Slytherins. But now he had a plan.

It was seven thirty and dinner was over. The sixth years didn't have any more lessons left and after fifth years had had their transfiguration lesson, everyone would be done for the night.

Harry got together with Ron and Hermione. "I have a real plan this time."

Hermione looked at him, unimpressed. "Is this as good as your plan to show Dumbledore how well we can get along by playing a game than includes everybody except the Slytherins?" she asked dryly.

He waved her aside impatiently. "Of course it's better. I've been giving this a lot of thought. We don't have to actually get along with the Slytherins. We just have to make it look enough like we do so that Dumbledore will let us out of here."

"Brilliant! You think it'll work?" asked Ron.

"It has to. _If_ we can get the Slytherins to agree to it."

"They'll agree; they don't want to be here anymore than we do after all."

"That's right. They don't."

Hermione interrupted, "That won't be enough."

"What do you mean it won't be enough?" asked Harry, looking at Hermione with startled eyes and sitting back down on the chair.

"I mean we aren't the only ones affected by this. There's the rest of the student body as well. They have to stop fighting as well. I talked to Dobby at lunch. Things are still tense out there."

"That's what Neville said too. I only got to talk to him for a few seconds. I only managed to contact him once and he hasn't answered since. Maybe the mirror was confiscated," Harry told them grimly. "But if we can calm things down in here, and figure out a way to convince them to calm things out there, then we can get out of this mess!"

"I think you've got it now. But what are your plans for getting the Slytherins to cooperate?" she asked.

"Tie them down and explain rationally why they have to do what we say, or else," Ron said.

"Ron, I don't think we can do that," Harry said regretfully.

Hermione was grinning. "I think that's an excellent idea. Harry, get the Ravenclaws; Ron, get the Hufflepuffs. I'll get the rest of the Gryffindors years."

"What about the Slytherins?"

"We'll deal with them later," she said confidently.

"What about the fifth years?"

"Judging by my watch, they'll be out any moment. Go, on!"

Harry went and got Terry and Padma away from their Chess game. "Hey, we've got a plan to get out here soon."

"Really?" Padma asked, excitedly, dropping a Chess piece. "I want fresh air again. I want to see the sunshine." She made a careless move on the board with the piece she'd dropped.

"Quit being so melodramatic," Terry said, looking at her. He made his next move on the Chessboard and took one of her pieces. It was only the second piece he'd managed to take (she had 6 of his), but at least it was a bishop.

"It's not melodramatic that I want to see my sister again, Terry," she retorted. She looked at the board, seeing that he got her bishop and made a careful move.

"I thought you said she's annoying," Terry said quizzically.

"She is. But she's my sister and I love her."

"Are you two coming?" Harry asked.

"We'll be over in a minute," Terry promised.

"Alright. I've got to talk to a few more people." He looked around and saw Cho flirting with the male seventh year Ravenclaw Prefect, Brett. He went over to them cautiously.

"What do you want?" Cho asked. "Can't you see we're in the middle of something here?" She was sitting with the Brett's arm around her waist.

Brett didn't look too happy about the interruption either.

"We've got a plan that'll get everybody out of here."

"Who's we, Gryffindor?" asked Brett. "The 'dream team'? It's your fault we're in this mess. If you three hadn't sparked trouble with the Slytherins, we wouldn't be stuck in here in the first place. The teachers are treating us like juvenile delinquents in a detention center."

Harry glared at him. This idiot was accusing him and his friends of being the sole source of their problems. "Us? It was everybody; so don't blame just the three of us. I've seen just as many Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs start fights and cause trouble with Slytherins as I have Gryffindors, so don't give me that. Just get over there so we can have this meeting. I don't want to be here, you don't want to be here; no one wants to be here."

There was a brief staring contest between Harry and Brett. Unfortunately for Brett, Harry had spent much of his time this week glaring at the ceiling when they mirror wasn't helping. His double-barrel green stare was certainly nothing to scoff at. With a sigh of disgust, Brett got up and headed to the sofa and chairs Harry was pointing at. Cho didn't move.

"Am I going to have to argue with you too?" he asked, trying to restrain his anger.

"You're right."

"I—What?"

"Potter, I may not like you but I'm smart enough to know when I'm hearing the truth. If we want to get out of this _prison_ it's going to take everybody. I just hope your plan is as good as you say it is."

Harry thanked whatever powers ran the universe that he wasn't going to have to argue with her. _Four down, three to go_, he thought to himself. Well, Luna obviously wouldn't be hard to convince.

He saw the other seventh year Ravenclaw Prefect with the group of Hufflepuffs Ron was talking to and let him deal with her. The only ones left were the fifth years. He spotted Luna and the others coming out of the classroom.

"Luna, would you and er…" What was the name of that fifth year Prefect again?

"John," the boy supplied helpfully.

"Would you two come over here?" They followed him over to where they could talk. "We've got a plan to get out of here, but we need everyone working together. We're having a meeting."

"How is a meeting going to help?"

"You'll see. Are you two in?"

"Nothing better to do," reasoned John.

They followed him to the group that was forming around Ron and Hermione. Harry saw that the other Ravenclaws were already waiting.

Everyone from the three houses was there and waiting.

Harry whispered to Ron and Hermione, "Which one of you wants to talk?"

"You do it, Harry. Your idea," whispered Ron.

"Will one of you just start?" Hermione muttered. "Nobody wants to hear from the know-it-all."

Harry took a deep breath and sat on one of the chairs, the crowd seated or standing around him. "Some of you aren't going to like this, but it's better than spending the rest of term trapped in here with those Slytherins. Dumbledore said he wouldn't let us out of here until we learned to cooperate with the Slytherins; until we learned to have inter-house unity."

"I'm not getting all chummy with the Slytherins," one of the boys said, flat out.

"You don't have to. All we have to do is pretend to get along with them enough to convince Dumbledore that things are better."

"They'd never go for that," pointed out Terry.

"I'm just asking if all of you would agree to this. Unless someone else has a better idea that they haven't bothered to share yet, it seems like our best way out."

Nobody had another idea.

"Good. Then, does everybody agree to this?"

There was a general murmur of consent, but with some hesitation.

"Alright then. Everybody's in. Now the next thing we have to do is get the Slytherins involved." He saw a fifth year making a face at him. "Look, if we don't get them involved, then we aren't doing what Dumbledore wants and we aren't getting out of here."

"The Slytherins would never agree to this."

"That's why we have to _convince_ them." Harry grinned to himself. "At lights out, by whatever means necessary, we've got to convince the Slytherins that it's the only way to get us out of here."

"And after that?" asked Ernie.

"Once they've realized that they don't have a choice in the matter, we've got to find out who's going to be the most levelheaded on their side and who'll get support for the Slytherins outside this hall to start cooperating with the other three houses."

"And how are you going to do that?" Dylan asked skeptically.

"I found a way to communicate with somebody outside the room."

"What? Are the teachers giving you special treatment? Or is the house-elf playing favorites?" asked Ernie.

"Neither. I have a way of getting a message out. That's all that matters," Harry told him curtly.

"Maybe it's the painting," he suggested, mockingly. "The crazy knight and crazy Potter."

Harry threatened, "Ernie, I'm warning you. If you don't want a black-eye, knock it off."

"Yeah, you're really going to hit me?"

"As a matter of fact, I will, so shut it." He stood up and pulled his arm back. He was about to hit Ernie when Terry and Ron latched onto his elbow.

"Don't do it," Ron cautioned.

"Inter-house unity and all," said Terry.

"You're not worth it, Macmillan," Harry muttered. "Everybody understand what's going to happen?"

"How come you get to decide what's going to happen?" asked Dylan.

"I asked if anybody else had any ideas. Nobody else did. Do you have one?"

"Not yet."

"Then if my idea fails, let's see if you can come up with one," Harry said. "When lights out comes, we go to our dorms and grab the Slytherins and make them listen. Understand?"

Everyone nodded and the group dispersed. Only Luna stayed with Harry.

"I'm not doing this."

"What are you talking about? Don't you want to get out of here?"

"Pretending to get along would be a lie. I won't pretend. I won't be part of the lie," Luna said. "Lies hurt the world."

"Please, Luna. By working together to pretend to get along, that's still working together and getting the inter-house unity Dumbledore wants."

She just stared at him and sighed. "I don't approve."

"But will you help anyway?"

Luna didn't answer. She kissed him on the cheek and just walked away, asking someone if anyone wanted to help her put on a show with sock puppets.


	73. Convincing the Slytherins

**Disclaimer:** The characters all belong to J. K. Rowling.

**Author's Note:** I may have already posted this, but if I didn't this is a diagram I made of Harry and everyone's new little home. The picture is divided in half. The top half is what it was like in his first year, the bottom half what it is like in this point in the story. Just take the spaces out of the URL. http:www. deviation/ 10622755/

The next chapter is nearly done and will be up by Thursday.

**Reply:**

Greyhawk, Jennyroseangel, Nutty AL, Me262, right-claw, Moses, Zesuit—Thanks so much for reviewing! In the interest of getting this chapter up as quickly as possible, I'm not doing individual replies right now.

Moses—I think I'll take you up on that beta reader offer. I'm a little too impatient to wait for a beta responses on this site since I post chapters as soon as they're finished, but I could use a Beta for my one of my stories on FictionAlley sends chapters back if they have too many grammar mistakes and AI don't' know what to do.

* * *

**73: Convincing the Slytherins**

* * *

When the lights in the common room went out, everyone hustled into their dormitories. Just as planned, the Slytherins were accosted by the rest of their new roommates. 

"What's the meaning of this?"

"Get off! Get off!"

"I'm a Malfoy, you can't hold me like this!"

"Or what? You'll tell Dumbledore?" snorted Ron. Ron and Ernie held Malfoy's arms behind his back.

Terry was sitting on the fifth year Prefect, who was complaining loudly and asking just how much Terry ate for dinner.

Colin and a couple of Hufflepuffs had the seventh year Prefect pinned down.

Harry looked around, certain that none of the Slytherins would be able to move before he finished speaking. "We don't want to be here anymore than you do," Harry started.

The youngest Slytherin interrupted, "_You_ aren't the one being squashed."

Harry ignored him. "We don't want to be here anymore than you three do. That's why we've come up with a plan to get out of here. Dumbledore stuck us all together in hopes that we would start working as a team and cooperating and ignoring House and bloodline differences."

"Some things just can't be ignored," the seventh said, trying to squirm away from the arms holding him.

One of the Hufflepuffs hit him and told him to shut up.

"No, you're right. It's pretty ridiculous. Being confined here like prisoners isn't going to make us bond. When we played Twister the other night, I thought Dumbledore might let us go. But he said that it didn't count, because there are four houses at this school, not just three. I don't propose we actually get along; that's just crazy. But what if we pretend to be getting along? If we act like we're getting along and can convince Dumbledore and the teachers that we really are, then we're as good as free. What do you think?"

"What would we have to do?" asked the seventh year cautiously, seeing that this may work after all.

"Not much. We call a cease in hostilities between the houses. For the time being no more insults, and participating in activities with the rest of us. That's all it should take. Just a little friendliness."

Malfoy scoffed, "You can't expected us to be nice to Mudbloods."

Ron kicked him in the shin.

"Another thing, the M-word has got to go. If Dumbledore or the teachers hear any of that, we're never getting out. Do you three agree to cooperate? It'll probably be our only choice if we don't want to spend the rest of term here."

"What about outside of here?" asked the seventh year.

"We can go back to showing how much we hate each other once we get out," Ron said reasonably.

"I meant, what about the students who aren't confined here? Dumbledore wants them to get along too, doesn't he? He won't let us go until the school is unified, not just the Prefects and Captains."

"That's right. I found a way to communicate with somebody on the outside. I can't go into detail about it now, but suffice it to say, if you'll tell me who needs to be talked to, I can get someone out there to start making them all pretend to get along. I just need to know who the leaders and voices of reason will be out there without the three of you. Do you agree to help?"

The seventh year Slytherin was the first to agree, "If it'll get me out of the company of all of you goody-goods I'll do whatever it takes."

The fifth year whispered to Malfoy. "I'm in if you're in."

Malfoy shot him a look of disgust. "You're willing to go through with this?"

"It's the only way will get out of here. Besides, this Ravenclaw is a lot heavier than he looks," he replied. "I'm in."

Malfoy looked around, knowing that if he dissented, even his house wasn't on his side anymore. "I'll do it. But don't make me touch any Mudbloods."

"Malfoy, just act like you're getting along with us and everything will be fine. And don't say that word. It won't matter how friendly anybody acts, if it looks like you guys still have that attitude and are saying that stuff, the teachers will know that we're just faking the whole thing," Harry explained. "Do you agree to cooperate?"

"I thought we were only pretending to cooperate," said the fifth year.

"Cooperating in pretending to cooperate," clarified Harry.

"I'll do it," Malfoy said, with gritted teeth.

"Good man. Now, which of you volunteers to match wits with Ron Weasley on the chessboard?"

"I'll do it," said the fifth year. "No shame if I lose; he's a year older than me."

"Good. Who wants to play Parcheesi?" Harry asked.

Colin, Terry, and Ernie volunteered.

"Which one of you wants to join?" Harry asked Draco and the seventh year.

"I guess I will," said the seventh year distastefully.

"And what about you, Malfoy?" asked Harry. "We've got Twister, Clue, a deck of cards, Monopoly, and probably a few other games out there."

Malfoy remained silent. He wanted no part of this.

"Tomorrow's Thursday. Maybe we should do those games earlier in the day, and then have a giant group Twister game afterwards," offered Terry.

"Great idea. Brilliant," Harry said to Terry. "Malfoy, either pick a game to play, or you'll be showing your inter-house unity by letting the girls from the other houses give you a makeover."

"You wouldn't," Draco said.

"Oh, I _would_. You obviously don't know me well enough," he said viciously. He changed to an innocent tone, "Hey, what do you mates think Malfoy would look like with red and gold eye shadow?"

"I think he'd look smashing," Ernie said maliciously. "They should curl his hair too."

"And tie ribbons in it," added Terry scathingly.

Malfoy struggled to get away. "You'll pay for this, all of you!"

"I'd like to see you try, Malfoy," snorted Ron.

"All you have to do is cooperate and we'll withhold the makeover," Harry said, seriously and with a touch of disappointment. A picture of Malfoy in red and gold eye shadow, with ribbons and curls could blackmail him for life.

"I'll take Monopoly, whatever that is," he finally said.

"Good. I'll play Monopoly. Anyone else interested? We can have six more players."

"There's only six of us left," pointed out the fifth year Ravenclaw.

"Oh, right. Then I guess we're all in. We play these games after dinner. During any free time before that, just act friendly. It won't kill you talk to the other three houses, understand?"

The Slytherins didn't really respond, but Harry chose to ignore that.

"Alright. Now, who will be the ideal people to talk to in Slytherin to get them cooperating outside of this place?"

The fifth and seventh year SlytherinPrefectslooked expectantly at Draco Malfoy.

"Zabini and Greengrass. If anyone can talk reason to the rest of the house, it's the two of them. And maybe that fourth year Blaire Venaver. She's very persuasive."

Harry scratched the names down on a piece of parchment to talk to Neville about them. "Thank you. I'll get the names out to my contact as soon as possible. You've been very helpful. Goodnight."

The boys restraining the Slytherins let them free and everyone was finally able to start getting ready for bed. Harry hoped things had gone as well for the girls. He took the mirror out of his trunk, wrapped in his pajamas, and brought it into the bathroom to try and contact Neville before he got in the shower. Neville didn't answer and Harry and Harry gloomily stuck the mirror under his pillow after his shower. Maybe he'd have better luck the next day.


	74. Muffled Voices

**Disclaimer:** Anything you recognize belongs to J. K. Rowling.

**Author's note: **Thanks to everyone who still reads and reviews after I've been taking so long. It means a lot to me. This chapter is a bit longer and I think it's more insightful than the last one. I like how it turned out and I hope you like it too.

**Replies:**

**Schwaz**—I hope I didn't take to long updating this time. Thanks for reviewing.

**Greyhawk**—This chapter is longer. Maybe they will play it. I don't know yet.

**Right-claw**—Thanks. I'm not sure about Dumbledore. Maybe the fact that cooperating in pretending to cooperate will count.

* * *

**Chapter 74: Muffled Voices**

* * *

Harry woke up groggily, hearing voices. No, it was just one voice. And it was saying his name.

"Harry! Harry! Harry Potter! Answer the mirror! Harry!"

Groggily, Harry pulled the mirror out from under his pillow, realizing the source of the noise and looked at it to see not his own face, but Neville Longbottom's.

No one else was awake yet,

"Neville, I'm here. Quiet down or you'll wake everyone. Nobody else is up yet."

"Harry, I've been trying to contact you for days."

"I've been trying the same," he whispered, not wanting to wake anyone.

"We must have just kept missing each other then. We've got a crazy class and meal schedule. The other day we had a 6:15 in the morning Defense Against the Dark Arts class."

"I got your message from McGonagall, but I couldn't bring the mirror to class with me. It wouldn't fit in my pocket and I didn't want it to start going off in the middle of a lesson."

"Good thinking."

"How are things wherever you are? All Dumbledore told us was that he sent all of you on a retreat of sorts to help you bond."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. We never even left the castle. He transformed the third floor corridor into a couple of dormitories and a common room and a classroom. It's miserable, but we finally figured out how to get out of here. Dumbledore won't let us out until we get along and the rest of the school starts to get along. We don't want to be stuck here, so we've finally managed to convince the Slytherins to pretend to get along with us."

"Sounds good."

"But that's where you come in."

"What do you need me to do?" he asked, ready to help without hesitation.

"I need you to be an ambassador to the other houses. Talk to the Gryffindors in the common room, all of them together. Explain that they've got to get along with the Slytherins, or at least act like they're getting along with them. It's the only way."

"And if the Slytherins don't want to cooperate back?"

"That's the second part. I need _you_ to talk to the Slytherins and get them to cooperate."

"Me?"

"That's right, Neville. You've got to do it. Otherwise we'll never get out of here. I'm counting on you."

Neville took a deep breath and said, "I'll do it."

Harry was fairly certain that Neville had a right to be scared after all that had been happening lately. "Good. The most reasonable ones to talk to are Blaise Zabini and what's-her-name GreenGrass. It'd Dianne or Debbie or something like that."

"Daphne?"

"Yeah, Daphne, that's it. Talk to her. And Malfoy gave me another name too. Blaire Venaver. She's a fourth year. He said she can get a lot of people on her side. I know you can do this, Neville."

"Thanks, Harry. Any particular Ravenclaws or Hufflepuffs I should talk to?"

"No, I can't think of anyone in particular, just use your best judgment. We need them to cooperate as well. Thanks, Neville. I really need this help."

"You can count on me, Harry. The whole atmosphere of the school has been different since Dumbledore took all of you away."

"How so?"

"Everyone's quieter. No one's quite as mean out right but the tension is just as bad, or worse. Everyone seems mad at Dumbledore for canceling the match. If it weren't for the fact that he locked up all the brooms, I don't doubt that they'd have the game anyway in the dead of night, even missing their captains and Seekers."

"What else?"

"Classes are gloomier. The teachers are piling on the work. Dumbledore hasn't canceled any clubs though. He said that unlike Quidditch, the clubs promote inter-House unity. Things are bad, Harry. Things are really bad. He said, if he doesn't see an improvement by the end of the week, he's going to do away with house tables and start making us all eat together by year. If that doesn't help, I've even heard some people saying his going to mix the Houses up. Uh-oh, Dean and Seamus are waking up. I've got to go. I'll talk to you again later, Harry."

"Bye, Neville."

Neville's face disappeared from the mirror, replaced by Harry's own reflection.

"So, Longbottom's your contact?" drawled Malfoy quietly, next to Harry.

Harry looked up sharply and almost collided with Malfoy. How had he gotten there so quickly from the other side of the room?

"We're all doomed. There's no way Longbottom'll talk to Zabini and Greengrass. Venaver neither. He doesn't have the guts," Malfoy said, matter-of-factly.

"As if Slytherins are intimidating, you mean? I don't know if you've noticed or not, Malfoy, but Neville's a _Gryffindor_," Harry retorted quietly. "Gryffindors don't scare easily. They don't back away."

"Neither do Slytherins," countered Malfoy. "That's something you petty little _Gryffies_ haven't gotten through your thick skulls yet."

"What are you talking about, Malferret? Slytherins are conniving little backstabbers and weasels."

"Slytherins _survive_. Do you think it's easy walking around everyday in a school where everyone else _hates_ you? Do you? You have no idea what kind gut that takes, Potter. And you never will."

Harry started to say something, but Malfoy just shook his head.

"And loyalty? I know Slytherins that would give Hufflepuffs a run for their gold. Slytherins stick together because we don't have anybody else. No one else is going to reach out and lend a hand to Slytherins. Not unless they're being charitable do-goodies who want to earn brownie points with the old man at the top of the school. We don't need that type of charity. We do fine on our own."

Harry tried to protest. Hermione always did anything she did out of the goodness of her heart.

"Just _don't_," Malfoy said, looking disgusted. "As far as brains, most Slytherins have brains that'll fly circles around Ravenclaws. Some are the silent type, like Zabini. But why share ideas when no one wants to hear them? When no one wants to hear them _because_ you're a Slytherin and must be wrong or have some ulterior motive up your sleeve? Face it, Potter. You and your lot have got it easy. Being Slytherin isn't easy. Being Slytherin means being dependent when you have to and being dependent on the only ones you can count on. Longbottom doesn't have the guts to talk to my type. Pureblood or not, he just doesn't have it. You'll see. What do you think'll happen? Longbottom will gather up some Ravenclaws, and a couple of Hufflepuffs for good measure, and then they'll confront the Slytherins as a little mob and try to talk reason with them. If reason fails, they'll prepare to use force. Nothing'll really change, even if all of us manage to get out of here. None of you can possibly understand what it means to be a Slytherin." With a last withering glance, the kind that makes the person being looked at feel as though they're about three inches tall, Malfoy turned heel and left, heading toward the bathroom to shower and try to wrestle his hair flat.

Harry stared after him, thinking about what Malfoy said, wondering just how much Malfoy was right or wrong.

Ron sat up in the bed next to his, rubbing his eyes. "I heard voices. Who was talkin'? Somebody fightin'?"

"No. No fighting. Just go back to sleep, Ron."

Ron promptly fell back to the bed with a loud snore.

Harry sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep as easily as Ron. He grabbed his robes and headed off into the bathroom to shower. After he was dressed, he brushed his teeth and went out to the common room. The other boys were just getting up and getting ready to start their day.

Harry picked up the deck of cards from one of the tables and set up to play solitaire. No sooner did he have all the cards set up than the immediately went flying in the air. As they came back down, the words NO ONE PLAYS ALONE flashed on the back. Frustrated, Harry started picking the cards up. Hearing someone singing softly, he looked up.

The girl was startled. She'd just come out of the girls' dormitory, not expecting anyone to be in the common room yet.

"Good morning," he said, wondering who she was.

"Good morning. I'm sorry; I didn't mean to disturb you. I'll be going." She turned to go back into her dormitory.

"You don't have to go. I was just picking these cards up." He showed the ones in his hand.

"That's alright. I was just coming out here to clear my head a little." She bent down to help him pick up the rest of the cards and put them back in the box.

"What's your name?" He wasn't sure why, but he wanted to talk to her.

"Helen. Helen Horowitz, of Hufflepuff actually," she said shyly.

"Harry Potter, Gryffindor. Would you like to sit down?"

With a nod she seated herself in the chair opposite of him. She was a shy girl, but friendly enough. She had blonde hair as straight as hay and open, friendly eyes.

A few moments passed in silence as they observed one another.

On impulse, he asked, "Helen, what does being a Hufflepuff mean to you? What makes Hufflepuffs different from the other Houses?"

"I think that Hufflepuffs see the farthest. Well, I mean, the other Houses are about achieving an end, typically not something long term. They don't exactly consider what might result from what they do. Hufflepuffs try to take in everything, and see what's best for everyone involved. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Gryffindors don't have good intentions, but you're a rash bunch. Everyone knows that. Everyone knows about you and your hero complex." Her eyes widened and she put a hand over her mouth realizing what she just said. It didn't exactly seem wise to just up and tell_ the_ Harry Potter that he had a hero complex.

"It's alright, Helen. Keep going. It's not as though I haven't heard that one before."

"I mean, when you rush off to go help someone, you don't think about how you could get hurt or someone involved could get hurt. Helping people is a good thing. We Hufflepuffs pride ourselves on compassion, but we do it in smaller ways. We don't really like to make waves. Well, most of us don't. Some people are rather pompous. But if the world can spin along peacefully, we should just let things be. Did you know that the Hufflepuff house has more tutors and study groups than any other house? More than the chivalrous Gryffindors, more than the brainy Ravenclaws, and more than the lonely Slytherins. Being a Hufflepuff isn't just about loyalty and common sense and doing the safe thing. It's about doing what's _right_ for everybody. It's a belief in the greater good and doing what you can to aid it. Being a Hufflepuff means being a rock when Gryffindors are rushing around you, trying to be brave and openly confront whatever is coming at them and being there to pick up the pieces for them afterwards or support them beforehand. Being a rock when Ravenclaws are buzzing with new ideas and knowledge and sticking to what you know while trying to find a way to introduce the new information to others who don't respond well to change. Being a rock when Slytherins are around, trying to be tough when they're lonely inside. That's what being a Hufflepuff means. It takes courage, good sense, and a willingness to sacrifice what's necessary to help those who really need it." She looked away embarrassed. "That's how I feel anyway." She was silent for a while, uncomfortable after her speech.

"Would you sing? You sounded pretty brilliant before you noticed me sitting here," Harry asked, trying to put her at ease.

"I don't like to sing in front of people."

"Nobody's here but me, Helen. I won't laugh. I can't carry a note in a basket."

She started to sing after a moment, her voice was excellent, but she wasn't more than a few words into the song when she stopped suddenly as Ginny and Luna came out into the common room.

"Morning, Helen," Ginny said cheerfully. "See, Luna, I told you I heard voices out here."

"Good morning," she replied, shy again.

"What are you two doing out so early?" asked Harry.

"Flitwick's fifth year class starts in ten minutes," Ginny explained. "I hate having class before breakfast. I can't concentrate." She sat down on the couch next to Helen.

Luna sat on the arm of the couch next to Harry.

"How did things go last night?" asked Harry.

"Could have been worse. But I think Hermione is going to bear the brunt of the burden," Ginny said, trying not to laugh.

"What do you mean?"

"One of the bonding activities for our dorm is going to be that someone from each house is going to get together and give Hermione a makeover."

"They want to cut her hair," Luna added.

"Poor Hermione," Harry said, sympathetically. His having to play Monopoly with Malfoy was nothing compared to her having to submit herself to a makeover.

"How are you going to promote inter-house unity?" Luna asked him.

"Board games mostly, and then a massive game of Twister. If that doesn't work I don't know what it'll take. I talked to Neville and he's going to start getting to work on everybody in the rest of the castle right away."

More people were entering the room as it started to draw nearer to the fifth years' class time. Harry look around him on the couch; Gryffindor, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw. He needed a Slytherin. Flitwick would be there at any moment. He spotted the boy who volunteered to play Chess with Ron and asked Luna what his name was.

"Jeremy Simmawitz."

"Hey, Jeremy, come here a minute," Harry called.

Jeremy look skeptical, but approached. "What do you want?"

"Sit next to Ginny. The sooner the teachers see us acting like a team, the sooner they can decide to let us out of here. What Charm are you guys studying today?"

Jeremy didn't sit. "Color change Charms. They're going to be on our OWLs."

"Perfect. Sit and I can be telling you four about them. Flitwick'll be thrilled. Just sit. Ginny's not going to bite you, you know."

Ginny grinned, revealing her big white teeth.

"Well, she doesn't have rabies at least," offered Harry.

Jeremy sat down slowly. "What's rabies?"

"Er, never mind. Flitwick's coming." Harry started telling them everything he could think of about color change charms.

"Come on, class, we've got to get started," Flitwick called as he entered the room and picked up the wands. He saw Harry and the fifth years sitting with him on the couch, talking about color change charms. "Mr. Potter! How excellent of you to pass your wisdom to the younger generation. Come, class! Fifth years, into the classroom now, follow me." He herded the students into the room, beaming happily.

Harry grinned as soon as the door was shut. Had he called that one or what? Now he just had to deal with all this new information. He knew how he thought of himself. He knew how he thought of the other houses. How much thought had he given to how the other houses think of themselves and each other? He'd have to talk to Helen again. She was certainly someone worth speaking to.

As he settled himself down to do some thinking, Hermione and Ron came and sat next to him on the couch.

"You look tired," Ron told him.

"You'd be surprised. I've had a very busy morning…" He proceeded to tell them what had gone on since Neville woke him up with the mirror.

* * *

Later on at breakfast he watched how everyone was acting. Things seemed a little better than the previous breakfasts. No one was exactly buddy-buddy with the Slytherins, but they didn't ignore them, and in return the Slytherins were somewhat civil. Things were improving already.

Things were improving until Jeremy and Ginny started bickering over the last piece of toast and Jeremy threatened to pour his orange juice over her head. Unfortunately, she was quicker and turned her oatmeal upside-down on his head instead. Now that he could justly say that Ginny started it, Jeremy dumped his orange juice on Ginny's head. After that, things went from bad to worse.

Unnoticed by the students, Sir Cadogan did his duty and left the room to track down a teacher. It wasn't long before Hagrid and McGonagall showed up.

Some students were egging Jeremy and Ginny on and joining the fight, others were trying to restrain them and keep things from going from bad to worse before any teachers showed up.

Hagrid and McGonagall came in, Hagrid heading straight for Ginny and Jeremy, "Break it up! Break it up, you two!" He forcibly grabbed Ginny and Jeremy each in one hand by the back of their collars and pulled them apart. They glared viciously at each other, each covered in the other's food.

"Scum!" Jeremy shouted.

"Slytherin!" Ginny shouted, making it an insult.

"Weasley! Simmawitz! Cease and desist this instant!" McGonagall barked, nostrils flaring.

They calmed down a little bit, still glaring daggers at one another.

Harry shook his head. Things had been going so well. They'd never get out of here. They'd be locked up all summer and into next year at this rate.

After strong admonishments from McGonagall and warnings that if they could not get along peaceably at meals, their meals would have to be chaperoned, McGonagall and Hagrid departed.

"What's bloody wrong with you, Ginny?" asked her brother. "It was just a piece of _toast_. It's not like it was a Chocolate Frog or something.

"It was a matter of principle," she said, wringing out her hair into an empty glasses. "I had it first and he tried to take it."

Hermione gave her an expressionless look. "Ginny, for all that 'principle' where's the toast now?"

Ginny looked around. "Over there, drowned in oatmeal, orange juice, butter, and eggs." Hermione didn't need to say anything else; Ginny got the point.

"I think if we want to do any damage control here, we should work together to clean this mess up," Pansy said, unexpectedly, looking for something to start to wipe up the rather widespread mess.

Following her unexpected lead, most of the group started cleaning up the mess, and that's how they were when Snape came in for the seventh years' potion lesson.

When someone asked Pansy why she offered to help, she replied, "I can't take much more of that snoring every night. The sooner we get out of this place, the better for everyone."

* * *

When Ginny had been speaking with her brother and Hermione about the mess, Harry and gone over to the door of the dining room and listen under the bottom. He heard muffled voices.

"I should have known it was too good to be true when Filius said that he saw a Slytherin join a mixed house study group. The students are just as petty as ever. Thank you for breaking up that fight."

"No problem, Professor. I only wish it hadn't started. Tha' Weasley temper and Slytherin stubbornness an' all."

"Will they never learn?"

"I'm 'fraid old habits 're hard ter break, Professor."

"That's true. Things are seemed to be getting worse I'm afraid. If only they would attempt to get along, then perhaps things might be improving around here. A food fight is not an attempt to get along."

"It could be. If it was all in good fun. Met my best friend growin' up when I was flingin' mashed potatoes at the kid next store durin' a block party picnic. Before m' dad an' I moved away from everybody."

Their voices faded out and Harry left his spot to go join in the cleaning up. This sort of information might be useful. There could be a healthy way to channel everyone's anger after all. Maybe not a food fight but there could be something they could do.

Harry resolved to pitch this idea to his friends later on.


End file.
